Lee calls for fair treatment in Senate and House

DAYS after Senate Vice President Nigel De Freitas ordered three Opposition Senators out of the chamber, Deputy leader of the United National Congress (UNC) Dr David Lee is calling for fairness and balance.

Lee, the MP for Pointe-a-Pierre, said there is a need for a demonstration of that fairness in both the Senate and the House of Representatives towards opposition members from the respective presiding officers.

“We feel democracy both in the Senate and the House need to be a bit balanced,” he said in an interview following the opening of the RBC Marabella branch on Tuesday evening.

Lee said they were considering moving a vote of no confidence in De Freitas after last week Thursday night’s sitting when Opposition Senator Wade Mark referred to his conduct as a ‘dictatorship’ and was put out. Senators Saddam Hosein and Taharqa Obika were also put out for statements made.

“Last week he (De Freitas) threw out some of our members from the Senate. It (no confidence motion) is something we considered, but as you know Parliament is coming to a recess shortly, so we would not have time to do something like that. But we need a bit more fairness in the House and the Senate and you would hear more from the opposition on this matter when the session resumes in September.”

Lee said during the Parliament recess the UNC will be preparing for the 2018/2019 budget. He also raised concerns about the Initial Public Offering (IPO) of the National Investment Fund (NIF) announced by Finance Minister Colm Imbert for monetising some of the assets recovered from CLICO.

“We have a lot of questions on that because the interests being offered are very, very attractive, not the interest you would normally get from the traditional banking community.”

He said contrary to the assurance by Imbert that the assets “will not be sold, given away or otherwise aucationed-off to wealthy individuals,” they are not convinced.

“While this government is saying the fund is for the small man, one has to remember when a small man invests $1,000 or $10,000, all he will get is $440.

“When the big business, the big man places $10 m investment, he will be getting on an annual basis over $500,000.

“So, one has to ask really and truly, is that bond that is being floated really for the small man or the big man. There are a lot of questions to be answered,” Lee said.