Senate President calls for restraint

SENATE President Nigel de Freitas urged senators to be less disorderly and not to abuse any occasion of offering holiday greetings, in a statement at the start of the sitting of the Senate on Tuesday.

He refered to the last Senate sitting on March 28, when greetings were offered for Shouter Baptist Liberation Day (and Easter) during which time Independent Senator Hazel Thompson-Ahye lamented racial inequity by recalling her personal experience of a seeming snub by a store clerk telling her a piece of cloth was expensive. As she spoke, there was some restlessness on the Opposition bench as recorded by remarks by de Freitas recorded in Hansard.

De Freitas said in an update, "At the last Senate sitting on March 28, this House witnessed a member vociferously taking issue with a personal anecdote delivered during greetings by another member. There is no doubt that such conduct is unbecoming."

He said the Standing Orders mandate senators “shall maintain silence while another member is speaking,” despite a degree of leniency to allow light exchange among other senators.

"However, it has become apparent that some members have opted to disregard the Standing Orders and rather spectacularly disturb the contributions of members, even during greetings. I remind members that this practice is not in keeping with the rules of proper decorum in this House."

He said the rules of parliamentary decorum were customs of formality and courtesy.

"This is also enshrined in the Standing Orders, and upheld by members and this chair, in order to conduct the business of the people efficiently and in such a manner that can withstand scrutiny and reproach."

He urged senators to reacquaint themselves with the rules of order in several Standing Orders and to uphold the Senate's honour and reputation.

De Freitas also remarked on the parliamentary practice of bringing greetings on various nationally-recognised occasions.

"In this regard, greetings ought to be, at (their) nucleus, an ideal or a message that is inherently positive in nature, relating to the occasion being observed."

Greetings should help parliamentarians commiserate with the wider population at a personal level, he said.

"I have noted with concern that in recent times, members have used greetings to make overly charged statements or voice negative personal anecdotes.

"Honourable Senators, I wish to underscore that Trinidad and Tobago is rich in multiculturalism, and as such, greetings must not and shall not be used in a way that may be construed as injurious.

"At all times, greetings ought to be respectful to this august House, to the occasion to which it relates and by extension, to the people of TT."