Speaker acts against GovtBy SEAN DOUGLAS Saturday, July 19 2008
IN WHAT political sources have described as unprecedented, Speaker of the House of Representatives Barendra Sinanan yesterday allowed a motion by Opposition Chief Whip Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj to send the Government to the Privileges Committee of Parliament for Ministers’ failure to answer Opposition questions.
Sinanan’s landmark ruling duing sitting of the House of Representatives, comes exactly one week after he stood in his Chair and admonished the Government for not answering over 100 Opposition questions on the order paper between January 11 and July 11.
In describing Maharaj’s request (for Government to be sent to the Privileges Committee) as “novel”, Sinanan said: “The aforesaid conduct, action and/or inaction of the Government obstructed and impeded the House and Members of the Opposition in the performance and discharge of their duties and functions and threatens to continue to produce that result”.
Maharaj said Opposition MPs have been severely prejudiced and adversely affected in their duty to scrutinise the Government and make them account to the House.
“The Government’s action, by leaving questions unanswered for inordinate periods of time, amounted to and continues to amount to an affront to the House and brought it and continues to bring it into disrepute,” Sinanan ruled, while Opposition MPs smiled as they looked at Government Mps.
During the sitting of Friday July 11, Sinanan had expressed his exasperation at errant Government Ministers after the Government was able, during that session, to answer only one out of 25 questions appearing on the day’s order paper.
“The Government apparently by its conduct believes deferrals of such questions can be automatically given because it commands the support of the majority of Members of the House,” Maharaj said yesterday.
“The aforesaid conduct is likely to continue unless this matter is reviewed by the Committee of Privileges”. He said the standing order (SO) 19 imposes a mandatory duty on the Government to answer questions on the order paper.
Further, he alleged that Government had shown disregard for the ruling of the Speaker, in breach of SO 43. “My research shows that nowhere in the Commonwealth has a Government conducted itself in such a manner,” Maharaj said.
He moved that Prime Minister Patrick Manning, as head of the Government be sent to the Privileges Committee. Sinanan agreed that at first sight (that is “prima facie”), Maharaj had made out a case against the Government.
“It is not my task to hold an inquiry into this matter. All I am required to do is consider whether the rather novel submissions of the honourable member for Tabaquite point to a reasonable possibility that contempt has occurred,” Sinanan said.
“I have examined all appropriate authorities including our own Constitution and I am of the view that a prima facie case of contempt has been made out”.
He said he was not expressing any concluded view on these matters, saying that was for the Privileges Committee to decide. “In these circumstances, I refer the matter to the Committee of Privileges of this House for investigation and report.” At Sinanan’s ruling, Opposition MPs pounded their desks loudly in support.
The Privileges Committee consists of Speaker Sinanan (chairman), Maharaj, Deputy Speaker Pennelope Beckles, Tobago West MP Stanford Callendar, Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh, and Pointe-a-Pierre MP Christine Kangaloo.
