Lee: UNC does not oppose for sake of it

The Opposition party does not oppose the government for “opposing's sake” but to preserve the rights and freedoms of citizens.

Opposition Whip David Lee said this while delivering the UNC’s parliamentary arm report at the party’s national assembly at the Couva South Hall, Camden Road, Couva on Sunday evening.

He said, “At the beginning of this year of 2019, the leader of government business blamed the opposition for ruining government’s legislative agenda. But members, we have a duty to every single person in this country to ensure that the laws and motions brought to your Parliament do not violate your rights, do not affect your freedom and development and most of all, that these laws do not violate our constitution.

So they do not oppose for opposing's sake, he said. "We oppose for better legislation. In the past four years, we have seen some of the most draconian and poorly drafted pieces of legislation brought to our Parliament, legislation which on numerous occasions has threatened and breached the laws of our land.”

In a recent letter to the editor of the daily papers, Leader of Government Business Camille Robinson-Regis accused the Opposition of obstructing the Government’s legislative agenda by arbitrariness, last-minute demands and constantly shifting the goalposts when bills are debated.

Lee, who is also Pointe-a-Pierre MP, cited the Foreign Account Tax Compliant Act (FATCA) bill and the anti-gang legislation.

He also compared the ruling party’s legislative agenda and that of the previous People’s Partnership administration, saying over the past three and a half years, government had only brought 90 bills to Parliament. "At the same stage under our past administration, we had brought 126 bills.”