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The cloud of arrogance, victimization, abuse of power and intimidation that has affected so many people in the last 6 weeks has finally found its way to the Senate.
The job of the President of the Senate is a most important constitutional post and it includes ensuring order in Senate’s proceedings. Order includes ensuring the right of the Opposition to carry out its Constitutional role. The Vice President functions as the President in the absence of the President Under this FNM administration the job of Vice President of the Senate has been given to the Chairman of the FNM Senator Johnley Ferguson.
On Wednesday 27th June, 2007 the Vice President of The Senate and Chairman of the FNM took over in the absence of the President and in high handed, procedurally incorrect and undemocratic manner sought to force the passage of the budget without regard to the legitimate and vital questions that the opposition sought to raise.
As citizens know, at the Committee stage of a Bill Parliament
performs one of its fundamental functions i.e to make the government responsible
to Parliament (the people). This is done by the Opposition when it exercises
its right to question the government on matters in the Bill under consideration.
Having asked many pertinent questions for the benefit
of Bahamians, PLP Senators were about the ask and Bahamians have been deprived
of the answers to, questions on certain key aspects of the budget
including the life blood of our economy, tourism and the decision of the
FNM to terminate the employment of significant numbers of Bahamians.
These questions included essential issues such as:
1. the firing of almost 50 people the Ministry of Housing
and National Insurance
2. the state of the Port of Nassau
3. the downtown redevelopment project
4. the straw market
5. the manner in which statistics are gathered and presented
at the Ministry of Tourism
6. the training and engagement of young Bahamians so
that they may become fully productive citizens
7. matters pertaining to health care, including the national
health insurance program
8. the development and management of Sir Lynden Pindling
International Airport and airports throughout The Bahamas
9. the protection of the environment and
10. the diversification of the economy
PLP Senators walked out of the Chamber of the Senate late last evening following the high handed, procedurally incorrect and undemocratic actions of the Vice President of the Senate Johnley Fergsuon in allowing a vote of closure in the face of the strongest opposition and appeal to reason and democratic conduct by PLP Senators. Closure is a procedural measure that is taken in only the most extreme circumstances. It should not be used simply to permit the majority to go home to sleep because they are tired of listening to the Opposition's questions. Nor should it be used at the behest of the party political leaders, who were in the precincts of the Senate, to muzzle the legitimate voice of the Opposition who were asking questions on behalf of the Bahamian people. The PLP Senators, objected most strenuously to this abuse of power and, on a point of principle, walked out to register our objection to the grossly unfair, obscene and undemocratic violation of Constitutional procedure and practice. We condemn the Government for its actions. Government Senators, especially Cabinet Ministers, ought to be reminded that they come to the Senate to work for the people of The Bahamas, not to prevent the Opposition from lawfully executing their duties to the Bahamian people and to ensure that Bahamians have full information about how their money is being spent.
It is not the job the Senate to rubber stamp Bills sent by the government. It is the Senate’s job to review all Bills ensuring that they are in the best interest of Bahamians. As happens in the UK and in the US, often after heated debate, their respective Upper Chambers send Bills back to the House of Commons or to the House of Representatives for further consideration when the respective Upper Chamber perceives that the best interests of the people are not satisfied in the said Bills. We simply wish to exercise our right, as is guaranteed by the Constitution, to hold the government accountable to the Bahamian people by conducting the review of Bills carefully and with full transparency.
The Bahamas’ noble heritage of more than 275 continuous years of Parliamentary Democracy and the noble principles of our Constitution, that guarantee the voice of the Opposition in governance, were brazenly and shamelessly trampled upon by the FNM in the Senate.
Clearly the FNM government of mistrust does not wish to be asked tough questions about how its policies are to be implemented and it does not want to have its decisions be subjected to the light of day and it does not want to answer to Parliament (the people). Clearly, in the spirit of mistrust, the FNM wants you to know only what the FNM says about its decisions. It does not intend to have the Opposition, on behalf of the people, ask tough questions to ascertain the truth about its decisions, the truth about FNM decisions plunging the lives of Bahamians into deepest uncertainty, and the FNM intends yet again, to force its decisions down our throats.
The Opposition will continue to uphold our Constitution and we will not allow the FNM to trample upon our Constitution and the rights of Bahamians.
We will continue to speak for good governance and we will continue to carry out our role to ensure good governance.
We urge the FNM to put aside partisanship and political tribalism and accept its obligation to account to the people.