Saturday, September 6 2008

click on pic to zoom in

SPEAKER Barry Sinanan...

SPEAKER Barry Sinanan’s withdrawal from the Privileges Committee of the House of Representatives has prevented the committee from determining whether UNC MPs Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj, Dr Roodal Moonilal and Subhas Panday should be disciplined for public criticisms they made against him (Sinanan).

The alleged criticisms followed the March 28 suspension of Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday from the rest of the first session of the Ninth Parliament. This means that the MPs’ fate will only be determined once another MP from the House temporarily replaces Sinanan on the committee.

This fact was highlighted in the Privileges Committee first interim report (2007-2008) which was laid in the House yesterday by committee member, Tobago West MP Stanford Callendar.

The report said the House met on April 18 and approved a motion to refer a matter of “statements reflecting negatively on the Chair (Speaker) in the performance of his duty” to the Privileges Committee for its consideration and report.

The report further indicated that the Privileges Committee met on May 9 and June 27 to discuss this matter.

Sinanan, who is the committee’s chairman, temporarily withdrew at the May 9 meeting “for the duration of the consideration of the matter before it.”

The committee accepted Sinanan’s decision to withdraw but this left it “operating de facto with five members” although it is still comprised of six members because the Speaker has only stepped down from the committee for this matter since it directly involves him.

The Privileges Committee consists of Sinanan (chairman), Deputy Speaker Pennelope Beckles, Tertiary Education Minister Christine Kangaloo, Callender, Maharaj and Caroni East MP Dr Tim Gopeesingh.