Padarath: Privileges Committee decision a farce, charade

PRINCES Town MP Barry Padarath has described a decision by the Privileges Committee of Parliament to have Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal apologise to Laventille West MP Fitzgerald Hinds for threatening remarks was “pre-determined from day one” and said the Speaker acted unfairly.

“The entire process is a charade and a farce.”

He was contributing to debate on a motion to adopt the report of the committee in the House on Wednesday.

Padarath said he found it very difficult to support the report or any recommendation of sanctions knowing the work of the committee, of which he was a part was incomplete.

He stressed any adoption of the report would be a disservice to the Parliament, the rule of law and would undermine the country’s democracy and Constitution.

He said the chairman of the committee, Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George, had told the committee they were not there to determine the truth and pointed out Hinds was allowed to remain on the committee and adjudicate on another matter.

Padarath recalled in the 10th Parliament, Diego Martin North East MP Colm Imbert was in support of then prime minister Patrick Manning seeking legal relief when faced with the Privileges Committee and he did not see it as an undermining of the work of the committee but assisting their work going forward.

He said at no time did Moonilal refuse to appear before the committee and he was not provided with his right to appear before the committee.

He reported on June 17, 2019 the chairman removed a self-imposed injunction and reconvened the committee without any consultation of the members.

He said at that meeting the decision was taken to proceed with allowing Moonilal the right to be heard and due process. “The Speaker failed to act fairly.”

He said the committee was calling on the House to legitimise its procedural errors and blunders by accepting the report.

National Security Minister Stuart Young in his piloting of the motion reported the Privileges Committee confirmed that on October 10 last year Moonilal used the phrase “Tha’s why Snake have some lead for you.”

He said the committee also confirmed the words were threatening and noted an individual with the alias “Snake” assaulted Hinds in October 2018 in Beetham Gardens.