The integration of committees and the definition of the secretariats "will consume almost the entire month of March," so they will not sanction other bills. It is also a priority of the Executive Power to approve legislations created by the Ministry of the Presidency and the issues related to housing, said the new coordinator of the caucus of Deputies of the Frente Amplio, Anibal Pereyra.
Pereyra added that "we come a little late in the integration of the Administrative Commission. It remains to define the number of members that each committee will have, because the number changes each term. Furthermore, we must solve "who will be vice presidents and secretaries of committees" that "will lead us almost all of March.
In the first half of March the bloc of lawmakers will meet "to work on parliamentary strategy taking into account the priorities of the executive branch," says Pereyra. As the elected president anticipated, is known beforehand that the creation of the Ministry of the Presidency and other issues related to housing will focus the attention of legislators.
The base of the Frente Amplio will meet in March to agree on priorities. The opposition is on the lookout and prepares its legislative battery. The creation of the Ministry of Government and a housing law, including an emergency plan involving housing where inmates will be two of the first projects sent by the government. Jose Mujica also work on a telecommunications law and "a law of care for vulnerable sectors.”
Whites hope the left moves. "It's a mistake to believe that we can build a legislative agenda, we must consider the viability of the initiatives. We must convince the government that the ideas of our program were good," said Sen. Gustavo Penadés. Anyway, it is certain that the targets will promote the creation of a youth rehabilitation institute and stiffer penalties for juvenile offenders. UNA is in favor of the drop in the age of accountability and the former president Luis Alberto Lacalle said yesterday that "we must address this issue to hold accountable the younger boys. Lacalle also said that he will foster a new youth employment law, because the current law no one can apply. Meanwhile, Rep. Javier Garcia was quick and was the first to call to "Undust" the project: creation of the second public university.
In the Colorado Party, Vamos Uruguay is preparing 17 projects, which also include the second university. Also the issue of minority offenders, standards of protection of private property, the contribution of public enterprises on the stock creating a national water bank, a law similar to the fiscal rule in Chile and also a new law of telecommunications.
Bills that were not approved in the previous Legislature will also be taken into account and so "many of them are going to be un-archived" he said. The bills pending approval in the last Parliament will have to start from scratch the process in Parliament. Aside from voting on the budget, among the initiatives is creating the National Institute of Staff, addressing the issue of prisons, the Fisheries Act and the amendments to the law of settlement. During the first 60 days of any legislator can ask for these matters to be un-archived and in consultation with the Executive those resulting of more interest will be un-archived.
Another issue pending in parliament is "the use of toxic agricultural products in the aerial spraying" and "fire prevention and forest protection in the coastal zone on the Atlantic."

(www.montevideo.com.uy and www.elpais.com.uy, 17 February 2010)