By Bongiwe Dlamini

MBABANE:Jane Mkhonta-Simelane, the Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs says recommendations of the any Parliament Select Committee are not legally binding and therefore, plastics remain banned in the country.

Responding to Members of Parliament (MPs) on Wednesday through a written report, the Tourism and Environmental Affairs Minister said, the Ministry has always promoted the use of Phatsa Sakho over plastic bags. 

“This initiative has been supported and adopted by many major retailers in the country.Most shops have taken a voluntary stance to continue using re-usable bags instead of plastics. The Ministry can therefore not compel shops to revert to selling plastics. The Ministry or EEA has not issued any threats to any shop and shops that continue selling plastic bags continue to remit levy. On another note, legally a Parliament Select Committee’s. recommendation is not binding”, said  the Minister.

MPs expressed serious concerns after the banning of the plastic bags saying some small businesses within the Small and Medium Enterprise(SME) sector “were affected by the decision”, some MPs suggested that the banning of the plastics must be implemented gradually so that, emaSwati can prepare themselves for this environmental protection decision.

But the Tourism and Environmental Affairs Minister advised the MPs to move a Parliament motion, she consistently maintained that, the Ministry cannot act merely on recommendations of the Parliament Select Committee.

“In the likely event Parliament seeks to make changes on regulations the procedure is to move a motion upon which when adopted it is then that substantive actions to make the necessary changes may be implemented. As things are, the regulations stand,” said the Minister.