LARA PICKFORD-GORDON Wednesday, July 28 2010

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WOMEN OF SUBSTANCE: Barbara Webster Bourne (left), Speaker of the House of Assembly in Anguilla and Arden McLean House Speaker of the Cayman Islands, ...

PARTISANSHIP often takes the place of innovative leadership as members of parliament are often unwilling to change the status quo even if it is in the best interest of the country, Member of Parliament for Antigua and Barbuda Gisele Isaac-Arindell said yesterday.

Parliament, she said, offers its members an exceptional opportunity to make good on the promises which took them to the House of Representatives, yet she questioned how many say to themselves, “Self, you have five years to make your mark so start now to change the status quo”.

Isaac-Arindell made these statements while making a presentation on the topic “Providing a platform for innovative leadership within the parliamentary system” at Hyatt Regency yesterday during the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association 35th conference of the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic region.

She said innovation had very little room to grow with leadership preoccupied with holding on to power “even when the party is swept into power on the promise of change”. She said many parliamentarians in office do not want to “rock the boat” and risk losing political and financial supporters.

They thought of the short term and not of the long term benefits which can accrue to the country. Isaac-Arindell said in Antigua and Barbuda the public service was a large “white elephant” but administrations failed to act if this meant reducing staff, reorganising the system and persons having to find jobs in the private sector. She said a more cost effective and accountable civil service can have benefits for all in the government having more money to pay creditors invest more in education, health, infrastructure social programmes and human development programmes.

Isaac-Arindell said governments did not want to lose the affection of the constituent in whose home there may be seven or ten votes or lose an election to an opponent promising not to send anyone home. “So we continue doing the same things in the same way with the same old dismal results”. Isaac-Arindell said the parliament provides members of parliament with the opportunity to display innovation through statesmanship but here too “partisanship” dictates.

According to the MP, “even with nothing to lose MP s are still not willing to take a chance on change. They come to the parliamentary debate with a mind-set either to support or oppose and not even common sense, never mind the common good can sway them from that position.”

She said, some of the things said and the behaviour displayed by some parliamentarians were enough to make a drunken sailor blush and while it may earn rebuke, lawsuits and dismissals, the MPs would claim parliamentary privilege and hide behind the cloak of free speech. Isaac-Arindell said, “where is the leadership in that?” Parliamentary debates were opportunities to show debating skills, share insightful thoughts, contribute to amendment of bills, and use facts instead of “political fiction”.

Barbara Webster-Bourne, Speaker of the House of Assembly in Anguilla spoke of the need for new MPs especially those “less academically inclined” to receive training on the rules and working of the parliament. She said innovative leadership required finding ways for all citizens including non-party supporters to make their contribution and technology should be used to facilitate consultation and transparency.