Ratiram gets a hard time during no-confidence debate

COUVA North MP Ravi Ratiram faced a tough time in making his presentation during Wednesday’s debate on a no-confidence motion against Minister of National Security Stuart Young in the House of Representatives.

Throughout his speech, as he uttered just a few words to start to make a point, he was constantly interrupted variously by Young and Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi complaining he had breached the standing orders or rules of the House.

Ratiram was repeatedly accused of irrelevance and tedious repetition, in the latter case as he broached a topic which had supposedly been raised earlier by another MP. Repeatedly Deputy Speaker Esmond Forde overruled the objections of Young and Al-Rawi, but nonetheless this duo kept interrupting Ratiram.

He lamented crimes in his constituency, only for Al-Rawi to pop up and say, “That was the entire content of the speech from Naparima.”

As Ratiram continued, Young popped up and said, “Mr Deputy Speaker, 55(1)B. As the AG pointed out, it is past 6 pm. We can’t keep hearing the same things over and over.”

Ratiram uttered a few more words, only for Al-Rawi to interject to complain on the same standing order that Ratiram’s content had previously been raised been raised "umpteen times" by Opposition MPs in this debate.

The AG opined, “It doesn’t matter if the location has changed, the concept has been debated.”

Each time, Forde overruled the objections, which still continued thick and fast from Young and Al-Rawi.

Ratiram eventually complained, “I think it seems this evening that while I am here to present the facts and reality of what is taking place in Couva North and in Trinidad and Tobago, they will continue to stand and jump up on standing orders to interrupt my time.

“But if it was they were focused on doing their jobs, protecting our citizens, lives could have been saved in this country.”

Al-Rawi interrupted, under standing order 48(1). Ratiram resumed, only to be interrupted by Young soon after, and minutes later by Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, saying Young was somehow being blamed for flooding and STDs.

Earlier, St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen faced constant interruption by Deyalsingh. Minister in the Ministry of Education Lisa Morris-Julian also faced many interruptions. The Prime Minister had earlier complained of interruptions to his speech, as being efforts to interrupt his train of thought, despite these being far fewer than those faced by others.

San Fernando East MP Brian Manning also faced constant interruptions by the Opposition, saying, "Mr Speaker, I'm not sure what to talk about."