BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – Chairperson of the opposition St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP), Hon. Marcella Liburd has expressed concern that Friday’s sitting of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly has no Public Business on the Order Paper.
Liburd, a two-term Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher 2 (Central Basseterre), also noted that the Order Paper as circulated makes no reference to the Motion of No Confidence in the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Hon. Michael Perkins delivered to the Clerk in December of last year.
During Wednesday’s “Issues” programme on Freedom 106.5 FM, Ms Liburd said Friday’s meeting at which no debate is scheduled to take place is a breach of parliamentary procedure.
“Parliament is to debate issues that affect the people and the Nation. Parliament is for debate of the peoples business. This is the third sitting that there is no public business on the Order Paper,” said Ms. Liburd, who pointed out that a slight amendment to the Trust Companies act, will only be given its First reading.
“We expect the Motion of No Confidence will be debated although we have not seen it listed as an item on the Order Paper, we still expect that it will be debated,” said Ms. Liburd.
She also expressed concern that Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris and his Ministers in the Team Unity Government will abuse the privilege of Statements by Ministers.
Since taking office in February of 2015, Government Ministers speak for hours, a trend that former Speaker Mr. Franklin Brand had drawn to the attention of Prime Minister Harris and the Leader of Government Business, the Hon. Eugene Hamilton. In an attempt to resolve this abuse and other issues, Mr. Brand invited both the Government and Opposition to separate meetings but only the one with the opposition was held. The meeting with the Government side was never held before Brand’s shock resignation less than one year in the post.
“This Parliament will be about gutter politics. It will be a whole exercise in gutter politics where every Minister of Government will continue to pollute the privilege as if they are on a political platform, gutter sniping and calling the names of persons. We expect that will happen again,” said Ms. Liburd, a former Deputy Speaker and Speaker.
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