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Deception!
Published: Monday | March 14, 20111 Comment
It is clear in our minds that Golding engaged in an elaborate scheme of deception and constitutional shredding ... . We now wonder whether Golding really respects the Constitution of Jamaica.
AFTER LAST week's admission that he intentionally allowed 'strangers' to sit in the House of Representatives so as to prevent his Government from collapsing, we hope Prime Minister Bruce Golding has already written to the chief parliamentary counsel telling him not to bother drafting those bills which would allow Daryl Vaz, Gregory Mair, Michael Stern, and Shahine Robinson to keep the money they earned while they illegitimately sat in Parliament.
By Golding's own admission, he allowed ineligible persons who had been elected to Parliament to remain in their seats as he feared their departure could leave his Government vulnerable to a no-confidence motion.
The prime minister made the disclosure less than two hours after House Speaker Delroy Chuck read a letter from Everald Warmington, at the start of the sitting Tuesday indicating the latter had resigned as member of parliament (MP) for South West St Catherine because of his dual-citizenship status.
Warmington was an American citizen on Nomination Day, July 7, 2007, when he threw his hat in the ring to contest the seat for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
Three years a stranger
Despite the clear ruling from the court that persons who were under the acknowledgement of allegiance to a foreign power at the time of nomination are not eligible to be elected to the House, Warmington sat in Parliament for more than three years as a stranger. And Golding, by his admission, had an interest in protecting his four-seat majority in the House.
"Let's be practical. We have a majority in the House of four. If three of those four, four of those four, five of those four were to depart the House at any particular point in time, simultaneously, under the rules of Parliament a certain number of members can convene the House, can pass a no-confidence motion on the Government; can cause the Government to collapse," Golding told journalists during a press conference held last Tuesday at Gordon House while the House was sitting.
Although he knowingly toyed with the Constitution of the country to protect his Government, five members of which were illegitimately elected, the prime minister, as chairman of the Cabinet, instructed the chief parliamentary counsel to draft legislation to protect their actions and pockets.
The instructions, which were given last November - two months after the JLP, which Golding leads, said he found out about Warmington's status - will lead to bills being taken to Parliament, which, if approved by Parliament, would allow Robinson, Mair, Stern, and Vaz to keep the salaries they earned while they sat in Parliament, even though they were not qualified to be elected.
The legislation would also validate any acts, performed in good faith, made by the four in respect of ministerial and legislative duties.
We would not be surprised if Golding and his Cabinet issue similar instructions on behalf of Warmington, as it is clear the prime minister has more nerve than a bad tooth.
Let's be practical. He could not afford the collapse of his Government, so he ignored the Constitution.
Time for action
It is our view that Jamaicans should, under no circumstance, be made to pay MPs who knowingly offer themselves for election, even though they are not qualified; and worse, those who sit comfortably in the House as if they belong there, instead of do the honourable thing and resign.
The attorney general should immediately comb through the necessary legislation in order to recover all monies that these persons were paid, which were not due to them, and also impose the necessary fines for sitting in the House as strangers.
It is clear in our minds that Golding engaged in an elaborate scheme of deception and constitutional shredding. We now wonder whether Golding really respects the Constitution of Jamaica.
Remember that this is the same Golding who stood up in Parliament in defence of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, saying the United States breached his constitutional rights and that, even if it meant sacrificing his political career, he was going to fight to demonstrate that "constitutional rights do not begin at Liguanea".
Golding is right, constitutional rights do not begin in Liguanea. One would hope, though, that he also recognises that constitutional rights do not begin at Belmont Road either; and neither should these supreme laws be ignored to facilitate personal or sectoral interests.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...ead/lead9.html
Published: Monday | March 14, 20111 Comment
It is clear in our minds that Golding engaged in an elaborate scheme of deception and constitutional shredding ... . We now wonder whether Golding really respects the Constitution of Jamaica.
AFTER LAST week's admission that he intentionally allowed 'strangers' to sit in the House of Representatives so as to prevent his Government from collapsing, we hope Prime Minister Bruce Golding has already written to the chief parliamentary counsel telling him not to bother drafting those bills which would allow Daryl Vaz, Gregory Mair, Michael Stern, and Shahine Robinson to keep the money they earned while they illegitimately sat in Parliament.
By Golding's own admission, he allowed ineligible persons who had been elected to Parliament to remain in their seats as he feared their departure could leave his Government vulnerable to a no-confidence motion.
The prime minister made the disclosure less than two hours after House Speaker Delroy Chuck read a letter from Everald Warmington, at the start of the sitting Tuesday indicating the latter had resigned as member of parliament (MP) for South West St Catherine because of his dual-citizenship status.
Warmington was an American citizen on Nomination Day, July 7, 2007, when he threw his hat in the ring to contest the seat for the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).
Three years a stranger
Despite the clear ruling from the court that persons who were under the acknowledgement of allegiance to a foreign power at the time of nomination are not eligible to be elected to the House, Warmington sat in Parliament for more than three years as a stranger. And Golding, by his admission, had an interest in protecting his four-seat majority in the House.
"Let's be practical. We have a majority in the House of four. If three of those four, four of those four, five of those four were to depart the House at any particular point in time, simultaneously, under the rules of Parliament a certain number of members can convene the House, can pass a no-confidence motion on the Government; can cause the Government to collapse," Golding told journalists during a press conference held last Tuesday at Gordon House while the House was sitting.
Although he knowingly toyed with the Constitution of the country to protect his Government, five members of which were illegitimately elected, the prime minister, as chairman of the Cabinet, instructed the chief parliamentary counsel to draft legislation to protect their actions and pockets.
The instructions, which were given last November - two months after the JLP, which Golding leads, said he found out about Warmington's status - will lead to bills being taken to Parliament, which, if approved by Parliament, would allow Robinson, Mair, Stern, and Vaz to keep the salaries they earned while they sat in Parliament, even though they were not qualified to be elected.
The legislation would also validate any acts, performed in good faith, made by the four in respect of ministerial and legislative duties.
We would not be surprised if Golding and his Cabinet issue similar instructions on behalf of Warmington, as it is clear the prime minister has more nerve than a bad tooth.
Let's be practical. He could not afford the collapse of his Government, so he ignored the Constitution.
Time for action
It is our view that Jamaicans should, under no circumstance, be made to pay MPs who knowingly offer themselves for election, even though they are not qualified; and worse, those who sit comfortably in the House as if they belong there, instead of do the honourable thing and resign.
The attorney general should immediately comb through the necessary legislation in order to recover all monies that these persons were paid, which were not due to them, and also impose the necessary fines for sitting in the House as strangers.
It is clear in our minds that Golding engaged in an elaborate scheme of deception and constitutional shredding. We now wonder whether Golding really respects the Constitution of Jamaica.
Remember that this is the same Golding who stood up in Parliament in defence of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, saying the United States breached his constitutional rights and that, even if it meant sacrificing his political career, he was going to fight to demonstrate that "constitutional rights do not begin at Liguanea".
Golding is right, constitutional rights do not begin in Liguanea. One would hope, though, that he also recognises that constitutional rights do not begin at Belmont Road either; and neither should these supreme laws be ignored to facilitate personal or sectoral interests.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/2...ead/lead9.html
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