UNC tells independent senator: Don't speak for all MPs

THE UNC is sending a strong message to Independent Senator Dr Varma Deyalsingh that he cannot and should not speak on their behalf.

Opposition Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial made the call at a press conference in Port of Spain on Wednesday morning.

In the Senate on Tuesday, Deyalsingh said he was ashamed to be a parliamentarian after the May 18 Privy Council judgment which said last December's extension of the life of local government bodies by a year was unlawful.

He said he also felt ashamed to be linked with legislation viewed by some as denying people their right to vote.

Recalling that the legislation to extend the life of local government bodies was passed through both the Senate and the House of Representatives, he said government, opposition and independent parliamentarians were equally culpable for the Privy Council's criticisms of the legislation.

"All of us are to blame. All of us allowed the law to go through," he said.

Lutchmedial said she wanted to make it clear that the judgment did not say Parliament had any role to play in the implementation of a "bad law.

"What the Privy Council has criticised and found to be unlawful is the Cabinet, the government, (Faris) Al-Rawi and (attorney general Reginald) Armour's interpretation of this amendment."

She said the fact that an amendment was passed by Parliament to increase the term was not found to be unlawful. It was found the extension would apply to the next due election which was due around March 3.

"Parliament could make the best laws in the world, (but) if you have an inept, incompetent and, I would say in this case, deliberately incompetent government running from the electorate and looking to place an interpretation on laws that suit them, then no law will ever be interpreted properly."

She urged Deyalsingh to correct himself and to review the judgment, adding that if he wants to "suffer the blow" against the Cabinet and the government, he is free to do so.

However, she said, "Do that on behalf of yourself and speak for yourself. But do not speak for the entire parliament, because we are also parliamentarians and we took no part in these shenanigans which led to this decision."

She said Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar had warned the government "from day one" that its interpretation was wrong, but it did not listen.

Had it listened, she said, the current "crisis" could have been avoided.