Mark: Govt is not in charge

Opposition Senator Wade Mark said the May18 Privy Council judgment that December's extension of the life of local government bodies by a year, was unlawful, was a signal to the PNM that it cannot do as it pleases.

He spoke in the Senate on Tuesday before the Upper House rejected a private motion on parliamentary autonomy, filed by him.

In his original motion, Mark called for Government to introduce a bill on parliamentary autonomy in three months time and then refer it to a joint select committee.

He subsequently amended the motion to extend the time for Government to lay such a bill to six months, with a cut-off date of November 30.

When the vote was taken, on the amended motion, all nine independent senators voted with their six opposition counterparts to support the bill.

After all 15 government senators voted "no," Senate President Nigel De Freitas exercised his casting vote and voted with Government. The motion was defeated on the strength of De Freitas' vote.

He then called on senators to vote on the original motion filed by Mark. That motion was defeated 18-12.

In this vote, three independent senators – Deoroop Teemul, Hazel-Thompson-Ahye and Dr Maria Dillon-Remy – sided with the 15 government senators.

The remaining six independent senators voted with the six opposition senators in support of the original motion.

As he concluded debate on the motion, Mark said the Privy Council's judgement was a signal to the Government that it could not do whatever it wanted.

"That's why the law lords (of the Privy Council) told them (Government) to back off."

He added, "The Executive (government) is not in charge."

Mark described the extension of the life of local government bodies by one year as another example of the PNM's hatred towards democracy

He asked government senators, "If you you drink from the cup of dictatorship, how can you expect to appreciate the richness of democracy."