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PM announces sweeping changes to Parliament
Thursday, 27 September 2007
Prime Minister Bruce Golding Thursday proposed sweeping changes to the age-old Parliamentary structures, a move which appears to have the blessing of the Opposition.
Among the changes placed on the Parliamentary agenda are the status of the Opposition Leader, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House as well as President of the Senator.
Traditionally, while some courtesies were accorded to the position of Opposition Leader by members, there were really no official status for the office.
The person holding the post of Opposition Leader was regarded as a merely an elected Member.
But Thursday, Mr. Golding moved to change all that in what he described as a framework for good governance.
He proposed that the office of Opposition Leader will be granted similar status to that of Deputy Prime Minister, which would fall just below the position of Prime Minister in the order of Parliamentary precedence.
Speaker of the House and President of the Senate are to be the accorded status akin to Cabinet Ministers and the Deputy Speaker, will be treated similar to State Ministers.
Reiterating his determination to strengthen the role of Members of Parliament, Mr. Golding asserted that the Parliamentary chamber must be a forum for true representation for the people had elected members.
Within this context, the Prime Minister declared that he remained committed to empowering the Parliamentary Opposition.
Mr. Golding announced that Opposition members will be appointed to Chair Parliamentary Committees.
In another far-reaching gesture, Mr. Golding proposed that the Standing Orders or rules of Parliament be amended to allow any member to make statements to the House.
Currently the Standing Orders only facilitate statements from Ministers.
And he wants sanctions to be placed in the rule book to ensure that resolutions tabled in Parliament are debated within a specified period.
Numerous resolutions have fallen off the Order Paper or Parliamentary agenda each year because they are never debated much to the frustration of the members who tabled them.
And given the fact that his administration had taken over the mantle of leadership midway into the 2007/2008 legislative year, Mr. Golding revealed that he has ordered a review of the legislative agenda.
Thursday, 27 September 2007
Prime Minister Bruce Golding Thursday proposed sweeping changes to the age-old Parliamentary structures, a move which appears to have the blessing of the Opposition.
Among the changes placed on the Parliamentary agenda are the status of the Opposition Leader, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House as well as President of the Senator.
Traditionally, while some courtesies were accorded to the position of Opposition Leader by members, there were really no official status for the office.
The person holding the post of Opposition Leader was regarded as a merely an elected Member.
But Thursday, Mr. Golding moved to change all that in what he described as a framework for good governance.
He proposed that the office of Opposition Leader will be granted similar status to that of Deputy Prime Minister, which would fall just below the position of Prime Minister in the order of Parliamentary precedence.
Speaker of the House and President of the Senate are to be the accorded status akin to Cabinet Ministers and the Deputy Speaker, will be treated similar to State Ministers.
Reiterating his determination to strengthen the role of Members of Parliament, Mr. Golding asserted that the Parliamentary chamber must be a forum for true representation for the people had elected members.
Within this context, the Prime Minister declared that he remained committed to empowering the Parliamentary Opposition.
Mr. Golding announced that Opposition members will be appointed to Chair Parliamentary Committees.
In another far-reaching gesture, Mr. Golding proposed that the Standing Orders or rules of Parliament be amended to allow any member to make statements to the House.
Currently the Standing Orders only facilitate statements from Ministers.
And he wants sanctions to be placed in the rule book to ensure that resolutions tabled in Parliament are debated within a specified period.
Numerous resolutions have fallen off the Order Paper or Parliamentary agenda each year because they are never debated much to the frustration of the members who tabled them.
And given the fact that his administration had taken over the mantle of leadership midway into the 2007/2008 legislative year, Mr. Golding revealed that he has ordered a review of the legislative agenda.
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