Opposition MPs say ‘short notice’ on Bills is abuse of process

Press Statement from UPP MP’s

We, the Members of Parliament representing the United Progressive Party (UPP), are objecting to the continued late distribution of Bills by the Department of Legal Affairs and are calling on Attorney-General Sir Steadroy Benjamin to respect the Standing Orders of the House.

With a sitting rescheduled to Thursday, February 27, hard copiesof 12 of the 13 Bills down on the Order Paper were receivedbetween Tuesday and today, Wednesday, February 26 – with one still outstanding.

This allows absolutely NO time for proper consultation among ourselves or with constituents and advisors and leaves us under-prepared to debate as thoroughly as our constituents deserve.

We are therefore compelled to believe that this now-common practice is a deliberate act by the Attorney-General, with the full support of the Prime Minister and the Government Bench, all of whom have the advantage of foreknowledge and technical advice on the legislation.

Such blatant breaches of the notice period occur too often and have gone on for too long.

Accordingly, we are calling on the House Speaker to make an appropriate intervention in the interest of the public we serve and as a safeguard to our democracy.

We also encourage the public to make their dissatisfaction known about this ongoing abuse of the House of Representatives.

It is time for the playing field to be leveled and for maturity and good governance to prevail.