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..the PM has not only shown dissent but a willingness to change the rulings of a court. And of course, it is unseating an opposition MP under the guise of protecting people right to choose.
That is why it was important to recognize the JLP having some responsibility for the mess.
Having said that, the question is does the PM have the right to toss the issue to John Public?
PM hints at snap election if Dabdoub victorious
BY BALFORD HENRY Observer writer balfordh@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, April 24, 2008
PRIME Minister Bruce Golding indicated yesterday that he would call fresh general elections, rather than allow former People's National Party (PNP) candidate for West Portland, Abe Dabdoub, to enter Parliament on the basis of a court ruling.
Dabdoub. challenging ruling by court
"I am not going to allow anybody to sit in Parliament who was rejected by the people at the polls, through some technicality," Golding told a post-budget press briefing at Jamaica House.
He said that his majority in the House of Representatives was not a concern to him. He gave the example of Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr Keith Mitchell, who has been in power for the past four years with a majority of one.
"The size of the majority is not what worries me," the prime minister said. "What would give me concern is if that majority becomes uncertain."
"I can't run a Government where I do not know at what point I will have to be distracted from the job of administering the affairs of Government, to go and look on the political side to see exactly what is happening with this member, or that member," he said.
He said that there are challenges that his Jamaica Labour Party(JLP) could have mounted against PNP MPs but did not.
"So, in that respect, the Opposition has an advantage on us. They have mounted challenges, we haven't. And in our case, the time for mounting those challenges might be up," he added.
"One thing I will say to you though, and this is perhaps the only thing I can speak to with a kind of absolute definitiveness, is that I am not going to allow anybody to sit in Parliament who was rejected by the people at the polls, through some technicality," he went on.
"If the people voted and said, we want John Brown, we do not want Thomas Smith, I am not allowing Thomas Smith to come and sit in that Parliament purely on the basis of some legal or constitututional technicality. That is when, I believe, I would have to exercise my options in the protection of the people and their democracy."
Earlier, the prime minister pointed out that if the Constitution is to be amended it would require, at least, a minimum of six months to do so. He said that the question is, what to do in the meantime.
He said that the matter could be settled either by the court, or by political action but refused to go any further.
"It is a problem even today as we speak. It affects both sides of the House,"he said.
He said that the ruling of Chief Justice Zaila McCalla that, even if the person has not sworn allegiance to a foreign country, but has secured and travelled on that country's passport, implies allegiance, has raised problems for more MPs that originally thought.
He said that he was not aware of any of the JLP candidates being American citizens prior to the Vaz issue.
That is why it was important to recognize the JLP having some responsibility for the mess.
Having said that, the question is does the PM have the right to toss the issue to John Public?
PM hints at snap election if Dabdoub victorious
BY BALFORD HENRY Observer writer balfordh@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, April 24, 2008
PRIME Minister Bruce Golding indicated yesterday that he would call fresh general elections, rather than allow former People's National Party (PNP) candidate for West Portland, Abe Dabdoub, to enter Parliament on the basis of a court ruling.
Dabdoub. challenging ruling by court "I am not going to allow anybody to sit in Parliament who was rejected by the people at the polls, through some technicality," Golding told a post-budget press briefing at Jamaica House.
He said that his majority in the House of Representatives was not a concern to him. He gave the example of Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr Keith Mitchell, who has been in power for the past four years with a majority of one.
"The size of the majority is not what worries me," the prime minister said. "What would give me concern is if that majority becomes uncertain."
"I can't run a Government where I do not know at what point I will have to be distracted from the job of administering the affairs of Government, to go and look on the political side to see exactly what is happening with this member, or that member," he said.
He said that there are challenges that his Jamaica Labour Party(JLP) could have mounted against PNP MPs but did not.
"So, in that respect, the Opposition has an advantage on us. They have mounted challenges, we haven't. And in our case, the time for mounting those challenges might be up," he added.
"One thing I will say to you though, and this is perhaps the only thing I can speak to with a kind of absolute definitiveness, is that I am not going to allow anybody to sit in Parliament who was rejected by the people at the polls, through some technicality," he went on.
"If the people voted and said, we want John Brown, we do not want Thomas Smith, I am not allowing Thomas Smith to come and sit in that Parliament purely on the basis of some legal or constitututional technicality. That is when, I believe, I would have to exercise my options in the protection of the people and their democracy."
Earlier, the prime minister pointed out that if the Constitution is to be amended it would require, at least, a minimum of six months to do so. He said that the question is, what to do in the meantime.
He said that the matter could be settled either by the court, or by political action but refused to go any further.
"It is a problem even today as we speak. It affects both sides of the House,"he said.
He said that the ruling of Chief Justice Zaila McCalla that, even if the person has not sworn allegiance to a foreign country, but has secured and travelled on that country's passport, implies allegiance, has raised problems for more MPs that originally thought.
He said that he was not aware of any of the JLP candidates being American citizens prior to the Vaz issue.
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