Senate vice president overrules Mark's claim of bias

SENATE Vice-President Nigel De Freitas overruled an argument by Opposition Senator Wade Mark that De Freitas should not preside over the Senate's debate on a motion to approve its Privileges Committee report on a complaint against Opposition Senator Anil Roberts.

The complaint was based on statements Roberts made on his social media show Douglar Politics in February, referring to himself as a "booming voice" and the Senate as "a kangaroo court."

Senate President Christine Kangaloo, who normally chairs the committee, was replaced for this complaint by Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat, as Roberts' statements were directed towards her.

De Freitas assumed chairmanship of the committee in her place. The other committee members were Tourism Culture and the Arts Minister Randall Mitchell, Mark and Independent Senator Amrita Deonarine.

Before debate began in the Senate on Wednesday, Mark asked de Freitas whether it would not be better for an independent senator to preside over the debate, so as not to create the impression of bias.

He told De Freitas, "I am not accusing anyone of anything, including yourself."

In response, De Freitas reminded Mark of his tenure as Speaker of the House of Representatives under the UNC-led People's Partnership government.

"Standing orders do provide that the chairman of the Privileges Committee is indeed the President of the Senate, who then is invited to preside over the matters of privileges, once the report is laid in the Parliament."

He added, "What is occurring here today, by way of my good self having chaired that Privileges Committee, once the President of the Senate recused herself, is not untoward. That is in keeping with the procedure of Parliament, both in the Lower House and the Upper House."