BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE voice and will of elected Parliamentarians were demonstrably subverted yesterday (Jan. 29) through the vote for the Senators Increase Bill and by the passage of the Bill itself, according to former Minister and Parliamentarian Dr. Timothy Harris.
In an interview with SKNVibes, Dr. Harris described yesterday’s Parliamentary Sitting as “historic” for three reasons, with the first being the obvious and effected plot to overthrow the vote of elected Members of Parliament.
Dr. Harris explained that the Parliament consists of 11 elected members, six of whom voted against the Senators (Increasing of Number) 2012 Bill. He said that figure constituted the majority of elected representatives, but their voices could not be heard because they were drowned out by those of non-elected Members of the Parliament.
“It was historic in nature, in that it perhaps was the first time in the history of our Parliament - post-independence - that you have had a case where the votes of elected persons were undermined by the votes of unelected Members of Parliament. Yesterday’s vote demonstrated critically, quite clearly, the point the Honourable Sam Condor was making that if we were to move to increase the number of unelected Members in our Parliament, we would be diminishing the value and the power of the vote of the elected Members of Parliament.
“Because yesterday we find demonstrated six elected members from a Parliament with 11 elected members; therefore, a majority of the people’s representatives voted against the Bill, had the wishes of their people undermined, not by a majority of elected people but by a combination of unelected people.
He said the vote of elected representatives was rejected “because Dr. Douglas was able to connive and conspire with unelected members to supress – as it were – the wishes of the majority”.
The second reason, for which Harris described yesterday’s sitting as historic, was the Prime Minister’s attempt to have a person sitting in the Parliament’s gallery address the Parliament, which, according to him, was “unparliamentary”.
“Dr. Douglas shows that he had no class when he attempted to have a stranger speak in Parliament. Dr. Douglas knows that members in the gallery ought always to be well-behaved, silent whilst in the Chamber and they ought not to participate. But it tells us that nothing is sacred anymore.
‘The Prime Minister of the country, in breach of protocols of the House, could say that he wants a stranger to come and speak. That is part of the problem; no appreciation for rules and decorum…And everything and every institution is to be used in furtherance of Dr. Douglas’ agenda, and the agenda is to hold on to power even when the public is inviting him to go...to go decently.”
A passionate Harris expressed that Dr. Douglas’ “desperation” to pass the Senators Bill is evidence that “the people’s agenda that should be at the heart of the government’s programme is being lost for the selfish, self-serving interest of Dr. Douglas. (He) says that he wants a Senators Bill because he is concerned that somebody wants his job…as if that was a crime for anyone to aspire to become Prime Minister”.
