MPs must examine performance

THE EDITOR: Edmund Burke described Parliament as a deliberative assembly for the entire nation's interest, not a gathering of ambassadors from competing local interests. He also stated that once elected, a representative serves as a member of parliament (MP), not just a representative for their specific locality.

It has been seven months since the new government assumed office. From all accounts and actions it seems that some MPs are unsure of what their duties and scope of responsibilities are. Many seem to be engrossed with photogenic pictures on various social media platforms and performative pieces to elevate their profiles.

The same MPs who were once accessible in opposition have created a bureaucratic infrastructure that makes them virtually inaccessible to their constituents.

When outreach has been made constituents have been taken on an odyssey or carousel to get assistance of substance. Exactly what the PNM was accused of has become indicative of some of these MPs on the government bench.

There is an adage that reminds us that the longest rope has an end and at the end of every prayer you say "amen" so the advice is to proceed with caution, intelligence and due diligence.

I suggest that government MPs ask themselves if they have really been serving the people they represent and by extension the nation. Here is some background information:

Proper parliamentary representation involves a system where elected officials act as both a mirror of the nation and a deliberative body for its citizens, ensuring that different perspectives are heard and translated into policy.

This is achieved through electoral systems like proportional representation, which aims to reflect the vote share of parties in the legislature, and through parliamentary procedure, which protects the rights of both the majority and the minority during debate and voting.

Key aspects include members engaging constituents, using legislative powers to voice their views, following fair rules of debate, and having a clear, impartial presiding officer.

Representative functions

• Engaging constituents: Representatives must maintain ongoing dialogue with their constituents to understand their views.

• Voicing ideas: They must use their powers to vote, debate, and ask questions to turn constituent ideas into policy.

• Descriptive representation: The legislature should "mirror the nation" by reflecting the diversity of the population in terms of gender, age, religion, ethnicity, etc.

• Party-political representation: The legislature can reflect the country's political party landscape, even if parties lack a strong ideological base.

Now is the time to transform by first introspecting on one's performance and then taking corrective action to remedy shortcomings. Help the government to serve beyond one term. As the idiom goes: "Performance beats old talk any day and any time."

PHILBERT GERVAIS

via e-mail