Browne: No-one caught covid19 in Parliament

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Dr Amery Browne said not one of Parliament's 355 staff nor any of its 31 senators had caught covid19 in the Red House, all due to protocols, such as reduced a speaking time. On Tuesday in the Senate, he objected to Opposition Senator Wade Mark's motion to revert to pre-pandemic speaking times.

"Not a single sitting member after over a year of the pandemic has been diagnosed as infected with covid19. We have all contributed to that statistic."

Browne said in a pandemic all must make sacrifices, yet Mark was only alleging political dictatorship by chanting "Slay the Leviathan!"

Of Mark's complaint that standing orders can only be suspended for "a specific and extraordinary reason," Browne suggested the pandemic met these criteria.

While other parliaments have cut overall debate time, he said, "We have heard from all senators and will continue to do so."

"We don't really need late-night sessions for the sake of having late-night sessions.

Browne said government speakers had improved.

"We are more efficient, sharper with our points and more focussed."

Browne said Mark could not allege the time curbs were "bizarre or sinister," citing Parliament's other pandemic measures such as mask-wearing, use of a podium and spacing between MPs.

"Even the tea room has been adjusted. We now have committee meetings virtually."

Recalling times when MPs were let into the chamber on rotation, he said, "Was that an assault on democracy?"

Browne said it is not about quantity, but quality, and asked Mark what had Parliament missed out on in the last ten months.

He said the World Health Organization (WHO) said the pandemic was far from over and we should not go back to the old normal, inclusive of duration.

Browne had said Parliament had kept its length of debates, with a reduced speaking time letting many members be heard.

"Covid19 remains clear and present danger."

Opposition Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial complained of Browne's speech.

She said, "That level of disrespect, disdain and contempt, which the executive shows for this Parliament and its role, and the role of the official Opposition, is exactly why this motion is so important today."

She said oversight was central to democracy, to balance public health concerns against fundamental rights and freedoms.

"Oversight becomes not less important but more important in a pandemic."

Senate Vice President Nigel De Freitas denied senators had insufficient time.

"You could spend 45 minutes talking absolute nonsense in this chamber, or you can stand up, you can take ten minutes and make a brilliant contribution."

Khan said Mark's claim of dictatorship was just jargon that would get "no traction" in TT.