Gov't, Opposition say they expect robust Parliament

[Karl]

Gov't, Opposition say they expect robust Parliament
BY ALICIA DUNKLEY Observer staff reporter
dunkleya@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, September 28, 2007



The legislature yesterday resumed sittings with 57 of 60 members of the Lower House being sworn in and both Government and Opposition members voicing their expectations for nothing less than "a robust Parliament".

The truly "new look" Parliament, which convened after being dissolved in July for the General Elections, had more than its fair share of new faces on the Government and Opposition benches, both in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

And while the pomp and pageantry associated with previous House openings prevailed, parliamentarians got down to business in the little over two-hour ceremony.

When the Senate was sworn in, Dr Oswald Harding, who was president of the Upper House under the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration in the 1980s, was once again selected for the position. Thomas Tavares Finson, who also served in the Senate in the 1980s, was elected the deputy president.

Other new faces joining the more experienced members on the Government benches in the Senate included, Dr Ronald Robinson, Warren Newby, Dennis Meadows, Hyacinth Bennett, Aundre Franklyn, Don Wehby, Ian Murray and Desmond McKenzie, who is a returnee.

Meanwhile, the Opposition had among its ranks, newcomers Sandrea Falconer, Mark Golding and Basil Waite in addition to former members AJ Nicholson, Navel Clarke, Norman Grant, Noel Sloley, who was absent, and retired member of the lower House, KD Knight.

Commenting briefly after the members of the Upper House were sworn in, Harding said he expected "vigorous debates".

Senator Nicholson, who served as attorney-general and justice minister and leader of government business under the previous administration, on the motion for adjournment congratulated the Government members and lost no time in encouraging them to put "real runs on the board".

"The Senate is a place where we work together, the Senate is a place that is far different from the other House and we intend, on this side, to follow that tradition," he said.

When the members of the Lower House were sworn in, attorney-at-law and member of parliament for St Andrew North Eastern, Delroy Chuck was chosen as the speaker. Newcomer Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, who represents Trelawny Southern, was named the deputy speaker.

The House speaker, who received a vote of confidence from Prime Minister Bruce Golding, as being able to handle the 'delicate Parliament' took time to lay down the law.

Chuck, who commanded the rapt attention of members, said "the debates were likely to be intense". Saying he anticipated a "robust" and sometimes "contentious" Parliament, the speaker said he expected the Parliament to be the "centre of attention whenever it sits" and warned that he would not think twice about using his gavel to regain order, standing to exercise control or even "adjourning Parliament to cool tempers".

He reminded members that they were expected to abide by the rules of the House and arrive before the start of the House at 2:00 pm on the designated days.

"I want to work with both sides to inspire and lift our people towards a better quality of life," said Chuck. "Jamaica has many problems, but the Parliament must not increase or aggravate them. let us bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots."

Newly elected member of parliament for St Mary Western and minister of state with responsibility for local government, Robert 'Bobby' Montague, was one of several persons absent from yesterday's sitting; Montague was said to be attending a conference of the Commonwealth Local Government Forum of which he is chair.

Also absent was former speaker of the House under the People's National Party regime and member of parliament for Manchester South, Michael Peart, who was said to be representing the Parliament at a special conference abroad.

With the battle over the Hanover Eastern constituency yet to be settled, the Labour Party's Barrington Gray, who was initially declared the winner by the Electoral Office of Jamaica over the PNP's DK Duncan, was not in the chamber.

The JLP's Tarn Peralto was also sworn in despite the legal challenge to his victory over the PNP's Harry Douglas in the St Mary South Eastern seat.
The Lower House is expected to resume regular sittings on Tuesday, October 2.

[Karl]

'Stronger Parliament'

'Stronger Parliament'
PM outlines plans giving Opposition louder voice BY Balford Henry Observer writer
balfordh@jamaicaobserver.com
Friday, September 28, 2007



Prime Minister Bruce Golding yesterday announced new measures aimed at fulfilling his Government's commitment to give the Opposition more authority in Parliament, a development that, he said, will strengthen the legislature.

"After 45 years of independence, I think it will be useful for us to do a comprehensive review of the Standing Orders," the prime minister said in reference to Parliament's rule book.


Parliamentarians are led into the House yesterday by the Marshall for the start of the new session of Parliament. (Photo: Bryan Cummings)
Among the new changes he announced were:
. having all select committees of the House of Representatives chaired by an Opposition MP as of next week;

. amending the Standing Orders to allow backbenchers the right to be heard at the discretion of the speaker, instead of having to table Private Members Motions and await their disposal weeks later;

. Rearranging the table of precedence in the House to give the leader of the Opposition, the speaker and his deputy and the president of the Senate and his deputy more recognition.

Golding said that these changes, and others which will follow, are in keeping with his commitment to strengthen Parliament by giving the Opposition a louder voice.
"We do not strengthen Parliament, if that strength is to be exerted by the governing majority in Parliament. The strength of a Parliament is a coefficient of the strength of the Opposition," the prime minister said as he addressed yesterday's opening session of the new Parliament.

He said that, in keeping with the commitment that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) made prior to the September 3 general elections, next week, the leader of the House, Derrick Smith, will be moving to have Opposition MPs appointed to chair all select committees.

These include the public administration and appropriations; internal and external affairs; economy and production; human resources and social development; and infrastructure and physical development committees.

In addition, he said that discussions will be held on the chairmanship of the sessional committees, some of which are stipulated by the Standing Orders. For example, the speaker must chair the Standing Orders and Privileges committees, while the House leader must chair the House Committee.

Golding said that previously the House had been short-changing backbenchers, by requiring that they table Private Members Motions which remain on the Order Paper for weeks and, most times, are never debated.
"Ministers are entitled, under the Standing Orders, to get up in Parliament and make statements to Parliament," said Golding. "A member of parliament can't. A member of parliament has to appeal to the speaker and sometimes has to, in a sense, induce the speaker to allow the rules to be bent in order to speak to the nation about the people who sent him here to represent them. I have always felt that is wrong, because we all come in here as 60 persons equally elected. None any more elected than the other."

The Government is advocating that Parliament amend the Standing Orders to allow any member to be able to rise in the chamber, without having to give notice of a resolution, and to request permission to address the House on a particular matter.

However, he admitted that this change would have to be regulated and "managed with some discipline".

In addition, he said that the Government wanted a time limit for backbenchers' resolutions to be debated, with sanctions to be imposed if that requirement is not met.
"It's all part of what we call a framework of good governance," said the prime minister. "We were committed to it before the election."

He said that the order of precedence in Parliament will also be rearranged, so that the leader of the opposition will have the same status as the deputy prime minister.

In addition, the speaker of the House and the president of the Senate will have status similar to that of Cabinet ministers, while their deputies will be on the same level as junior ministers.

But, Golding explained, this has nothing to do with emoluments, only the order of precedence in Parliament.