Senator Small: Boost Parliament

PARLIAMENT must be boosted in both the degree of public respect it commands and in the level of help it supplies to its Members, urged Independent Senator David Small, speaking in the Senate debate on an Opposition motion to establish Parliament’s financial and administrative autonomy.

He quoted the Latimer Principals issued by the Commonwealth Secretariat that said financial independence is a bedrock of parliamentary autonomy, as he also noted that the greater a parliament’s autonomy is the higher the public regard it commands.

Small hoped work could start now soon establishing the autonomy of the TT Parliament, advising, “If the Government has a plan, please elucidate.” Saying Parliament at present is virtually “masquerading” as a ministry, “Parliament is a unique institiution and needs different treatment.” He said financial autonomy would help it recruit its staff.

Small also urged an office in Parliament that would summarise all parliamentary documents to help Members whom he atttested are just barely keeping themselves together under the weight of documents required to be read weekly. He personally attested, “I have no weekends. I have a full time job other than this (senatorship) and other business interests. I don’t think people understand what it takes to be ready (for the Senate).”