Lutchmedial: Contempt, poppycock from PNM

OPPOSITION Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial on Wednesday,accused the Government of serving a menu of contempt and poppycock to everyone, since the May 18 judgment of the Privy Council that the extension of the life of local government bodies by one year was unlawful.

In its judgment, the Privy Council also ruled that the extension did not breach the Constitution or deprive people of their right to vote.

In her contribution to debate on the the Municipal Corporations (Extension of Terms of Office and Validation) Bill 2023, Lutchmedial said, "They (Govermment) are here today to show contempt for the Privy Council, contempt for local government and contempt for the citizens."

Reiterating the UNC's call for local government elections to be held immediately, Lutchmedial claimed the PNM will not call the election date because "they are running scared."

She scoffed at statements made by Attorney General Reginald Armour,SC, and Al-Rawi to take the judgment apart to show that it was favourable to the Government.

Lutchmedial also dismissed suggestions that the nationalities of the law lords who delivered the judgment was relevant to the actual judgment itself

Opposition senators thumped their desks as Lutchmedial told their government counterparts across the aisle, "You get licks in the Privy Council! Licks is licks!."

She said both PNM and UNC local government representatives were left in limbo by Government's incompetence to extend the life of local government corporations.

Lutchmedial used a word often used by National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds to support this argument.

"They were left discombobulated."

She added the only reason why the Senate was sitting.

"We are hear to fix all the poppycock that they (Government) have done."