Committee chairs and strengthening Parliament's Standing Ord

[Lazie]

Committee chairs and strengthening Parliament's Standing Orders

Governance was one of the strong issues addressed by the then Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) during the campaign for the September 2007 general election.
Under its pledge to strengthen the role of Parliament, the party said it would, if elected:

• Provide that all sessional and special select committees of Parliament be chaired by a member of the Opposition to ensure more diligent oversight of government's activities as is the case with the Public Accounts Committee; and
• Strengthen the Standing Orders of Parliament to expand and protect the rights of members of Parliament to make statements, secure answers and debate issues on behalf of their constituents.

Since it won the election, the JLP Government has in fact kept the first promise in part and has moved to honour its commitment on the second issue, as the proposed changes to Parliament's Standing Orders are now before the Standing Orders Committee.
In fact, Prime Minister Bruce Golding himself presented the proposed changes to the committee earlier this year.
In relation to the committee chairs, the Government has maintained the convention from the previous administration that the Public Accounts Committee be chaired by the Opposition.
In addition, the Opposition now chairs the Public Accounts and Appropriations Committee, the Internal and External Affairs Committee, the Economy & Production Committee, the Human Resources and Social Development Committee, and the Infrastructure and Physical Development Committee.
While these are considered the more weighty committees in the Lower House, the others - approximately 20 - are chaired by Government members.
On Wednesday, at a lunch with corporate executives hosted by Observer chairman Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, Golding made reference to the promises while answering a question relating to what some regard as his misfortune at gaining office just before the global financial crisis.
".Your circumstances almost redefine your priorities," he said, adding that no one could realistically expect that all the promises made by the JLP would be fulfilled within two years.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...ING_ORDERS.asp

[Assasin]

"".Your circumstances almost redefine your priorities," he said, adding that no one could realistically expect that all the promises made by the JLP would be fulfilled within two years."

Really?