Tweet
How can we give up our responsibility?
MPs blast ECJ proposals
BY ALICIA DUNKLEY Senior staff reporter dunkleya@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, January 14, 2011
PARLIAMENTARIANS are once again at odds over the recommendations in yet another report of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, this time those having to do with continuing legal reform.
On Tuesday Prime Minister Bruce Golding, after it became clear that a consensus would not be reached, proposed that further debate on the provisions of the report — which was tabled in October — be suspended to allow for discussions between the parties.
WARMINGTON.... if we go along with a lot of what they are asking for, it would be a dereliction of duty
PICKERSGILL.... we cannot, on the mere proposal of a commission, whittle away the basic responsibilities and powers of the Cabinet
WARMINGTON.... if we go along with a lot of what they are asking for, it would be a dereliction of duty
#slideshowtoggler, #slideshowtoggler a, #slideshowtoggler img { filter: none ! important; } 
1/2 
The decision came in the wake of rather strident contributions from South West St Catherine member of Parliament Everald Warmington and St Catherine North West counterpart, Robert Pickersgill.
Warmington, in a hard-hitting intervention, accused the ECJ commissioners of acting like emperors in seeking increased powers which he said were Parliament to grant would be a slap in the face to the electorate.
"Many times there are reports coming here in which the commission is overreaching and there are cases in which they have gone beyond sanity. They are asking us to delegate our responsibility to a group of persons and if we go along with a lot of what they are asking for here it would be a dereliction of duty. There are some aspects that are acceptable but there are others that are totally unacceptable," Warmington said.
He further took issue with the commission's suggestion that it be allowed to act independently in deciding the rate of remuneration for employees.
"The issue here is that Government is responsible for people's taxes, Government ought to hold the purse strings and we cannot delegate this responsibility to a group of persons who are commissioners for a particular body," Warmington contended drawing an approving "hear, hear" from Pickersgill.
He was also at odds with the ECJ's request that the Representation of the People Act be amended to allow the commission to be the one to advise the governor general as to the postponement of an election. Currently that action is taken by the governor general, acting on the advice of the Cabinet.
"How can we, as elected members of Parliament, give up our responsibility that the people place in us and delegate such responsibility in four or eight persons who are not answerable to the people of this country.
I am answerable to the people of South West St Catherine and I am answerable to Jamaica and I want to know if the other 59 members inside here don't believe they have the obligation to stand and defend the people in their constituency," Warmington said to an absolute "nonsense, I am with you, ride on", from Pickersgill.
"I am asking my 59 colleagues not to give up this right that is imposed in the Cabinet, the governor general and the Parliament of this country to give to a group of persons up at Red Hills Road (current address of the commission)," Warmington said further.
"We need to ask this to be deleted and removed," he said to table-thumping.
He also took issue with the proposal that the salary of the ECJ chair be increased and made equal to that of a senior puisne judge (an estimated $10.8 million).
"It is offensive, it is greed and it is egregious arrogance which cannot be accepted inside here.
The serious problem I have is that the nine commissioners get a salary of $8.3 million per year for a part-time job and they meet an average of two hours per week twice per month," Warmington contended.
According to Warmington the commissioners who have helped in cleaning up the electoral system should work voluntarily for a stipend and travelling allowance.
Meantime, Pickersgill was also against the recommended change of the Representation of the People Act as it related to the postponement of elections.
"There are not many aspects of government that I consider more important than the calling of an election and the postponement of an election. It is sacrosanct. We cannot, on the mere proposal of a commission, whittle away the basic responsibilities and powers of the Cabinet. Our voters having gone to the polls and by a majority of votes having caused to be in place a Cabinet cannot be treated this way," he argued.
Opposition MP Dr DK Duncan was, however, concerned that the comments of his colleagues would "discredit the institution forever" and hastened to put the record straight.
"Nobody on that commission works for two hours a week, that is not true. Some hard work is put in by the people who are members of the commission. It is not fair for those innuendoes to be out there," the veteran politician said.
According to Duncan, while it could not be denied that there were areas to be discussed and differences of opinion, he was reluctant to "remain a member of the House and allow for an institution built on the blood, sweat and tears of a lot of the leadership of this country to be so discredited".
MPs blast ECJ proposals
BY ALICIA DUNKLEY Senior staff reporter dunkleya@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, January 14, 2011
PARLIAMENTARIANS are once again at odds over the recommendations in yet another report of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, this time those having to do with continuing legal reform.
On Tuesday Prime Minister Bruce Golding, after it became clear that a consensus would not be reached, proposed that further debate on the provisions of the report — which was tabled in October — be suspended to allow for discussions between the parties.
WARMINGTON.... if we go along with a lot of what they are asking for, it would be a dereliction of duty
PICKERSGILL.... we cannot, on the mere proposal of a commission, whittle away the basic responsibilities and powers of the Cabinet
WARMINGTON.... if we go along with a lot of what they are asking for, it would be a dereliction of duty #slideshowtoggler, #slideshowtoggler a, #slideshowtoggler img { filter: none ! important; }
1/2 Warmington, in a hard-hitting intervention, accused the ECJ commissioners of acting like emperors in seeking increased powers which he said were Parliament to grant would be a slap in the face to the electorate.
"Many times there are reports coming here in which the commission is overreaching and there are cases in which they have gone beyond sanity. They are asking us to delegate our responsibility to a group of persons and if we go along with a lot of what they are asking for here it would be a dereliction of duty. There are some aspects that are acceptable but there are others that are totally unacceptable," Warmington said.
He further took issue with the commission's suggestion that it be allowed to act independently in deciding the rate of remuneration for employees.
"The issue here is that Government is responsible for people's taxes, Government ought to hold the purse strings and we cannot delegate this responsibility to a group of persons who are commissioners for a particular body," Warmington contended drawing an approving "hear, hear" from Pickersgill.
He was also at odds with the ECJ's request that the Representation of the People Act be amended to allow the commission to be the one to advise the governor general as to the postponement of an election. Currently that action is taken by the governor general, acting on the advice of the Cabinet.
"How can we, as elected members of Parliament, give up our responsibility that the people place in us and delegate such responsibility in four or eight persons who are not answerable to the people of this country.
I am answerable to the people of South West St Catherine and I am answerable to Jamaica and I want to know if the other 59 members inside here don't believe they have the obligation to stand and defend the people in their constituency," Warmington said to an absolute "nonsense, I am with you, ride on", from Pickersgill.
"I am asking my 59 colleagues not to give up this right that is imposed in the Cabinet, the governor general and the Parliament of this country to give to a group of persons up at Red Hills Road (current address of the commission)," Warmington said further.
"We need to ask this to be deleted and removed," he said to table-thumping.
He also took issue with the proposal that the salary of the ECJ chair be increased and made equal to that of a senior puisne judge (an estimated $10.8 million).
"It is offensive, it is greed and it is egregious arrogance which cannot be accepted inside here.
The serious problem I have is that the nine commissioners get a salary of $8.3 million per year for a part-time job and they meet an average of two hours per week twice per month," Warmington contended.
According to Warmington the commissioners who have helped in cleaning up the electoral system should work voluntarily for a stipend and travelling allowance.
Meantime, Pickersgill was also against the recommended change of the Representation of the People Act as it related to the postponement of elections.
"There are not many aspects of government that I consider more important than the calling of an election and the postponement of an election. It is sacrosanct. We cannot, on the mere proposal of a commission, whittle away the basic responsibilities and powers of the Cabinet. Our voters having gone to the polls and by a majority of votes having caused to be in place a Cabinet cannot be treated this way," he argued.
Opposition MP Dr DK Duncan was, however, concerned that the comments of his colleagues would "discredit the institution forever" and hastened to put the record straight.
"Nobody on that commission works for two hours a week, that is not true. Some hard work is put in by the people who are members of the commission. It is not fair for those innuendoes to be out there," the veteran politician said.
According to Duncan, while it could not be denied that there were areas to be discussed and differences of opinion, he was reluctant to "remain a member of the House and allow for an institution built on the blood, sweat and tears of a lot of the leadership of this country to be so discredited".
Comment