Kangaloo steps off Privileges Committee for now

THERE was brief confusion in the Senate on Tuesday, when it appeared Senate President Christine Kangaloo was stepping down from her post.

But the confusion was quickly clarified and senators were comforted to know she was only temporarily stepping down as chairman and a member of the Senate's Privileges Committee when it investigates claims made against her by Opposition Senator Anil Roberts.

In moving a motion, acting Leader of Government Business Clarence Rambharat said owing to the matter of privilege raised against Roberts by incumbent leader Franklin Khan and the matter being referred to the Privileges Committee on March 2, he asked that notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 82 (2) "that for the purposes of conducting the committee's work on the said matter only " that Kangaloo be "temporarily removed" from the committee and temporarily replaced as chairman by Senate Vice-President Nigel De Freitas.

Standing Order 82 (2) states that the Senate President chairs its Privileges Committee. Rambharat also proposed that he temporarily take Kangaloo's place on the committee for this matter.

The current members of the committee are Kangaloo; De Freitas; Tourism Minister, Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell; Opposition Senator Wade Mark; and Independent Senator Amrita Deonarine.

Confusion arose when Kangaloo called for a vote on the motion and read a document which called for her to be "temporarily removed from the Senate and temporarily replaced as chairman by Vice President of the Senate Nigel de Freitas."

Before the vote could be taken, Mark sought clarification on what senators were being asked to vote on. After checking the documents, Kangaloo clarified that she was only being temporarily replaced on the committee and not in the Senate. She re-read the motion and it was subsequently approved.

Roberts was sent to the committee because of statements he made on his social media show DouglAR Politics, where he referred to himself as "Booming Voice" and the Senate as a "kangaroo court." Khan argued Roberts' statements were "in direct contravention" of a ruling by Kangaloo on December 10, 2020, when she asked Roberts to desist from reflecting on the partiality of the Senate President."