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ALTHOUGH the motions of no confidence brought against ministers of government have been defeated in the Parliament, Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar is making no apology for bringing them.
She said it was the only way substantive governance issues could be raised and vowed to continue to do so.
On a United National Congress (UNC) virtual platform on Monday night, Persad-Bissessar explained, “The Opposition is given very little parliamentary time to get points across.
“We can come here on a Monday night and other nights when we can talk to you though the virtual, but the only time you can get to do an Opposition motion is once per month in the Parliament.”
She said when other bills are being debated, opposition members are often “struck down” by the Speaker with “shut up,” “sit down,” “you can’t raise that except in a substantive motion,”
Persad-Bissessar said, “You are confined to speak only of the bill, so you cannot raise larger issues of governance, larger issues of mismanagement, larger issues of incompetence.
“There is only one instrument in the Standing Orders in the Parliament that allows us to come and raise substantive governance issues against a minister, that is why we do it.”
Responding to critics who see folly in such a notion, she said, “You are dammed if you do and dammed if you don’t.”
So far this year, the Opposition have brought motions of no confidence against National Security Minister Stuart Young, Energy Minister Franklin Khan and Finance Minister Colm Imbert.
Deputy political leader and Pointe-a-Pierre MP David Lee claimed victory in those motions, pointing out that, not only did Government fail to vote against them, but in the motion brought against Young, the Parliament was prematurely shut down to prevent Persad-Bissessar from winding up the debate.
In the motions against Khan – which is still pending – and Imbert, Lee said the fact the Prime Minister did not speak to defend his two senior ministers shows that, “Even the PM might not have confidence in his ministers of finance and energy.”
Persad-Bissessar said she found it interesting that Dr Rowley did not come to the Parliament last Friday to defend Imbert.
“Even more interesting is the fact that none of the MoF (Ministry of Finance) friends from the front bench spoke in his defence.”
She said Senators Donna Cox and Rohan Sinanan who spoke in defence of Imbert were only able to speak of spending money but nothing about how they were making money.
Persad-Bissessar denounced what she referred to as “Imbert’s lying narrative” about the PNM Government inheriting an economy which was in shambles and “running on fumes.”
Persad-Bissessar also defended her People’s Partnership expenditure, saying the PNM could not speak of one achievement, but wanted to take credit for the Point Fortin and Arima hospitals which were started by her Government.
“We are claiming credit for Point Fortin, Arima and Couva Hospitals as well as the refurbished 125 health centres and facilities at Caura which is being used for covid19 cases.”
She raised issues of discrimination in the awarding of CEPEP contracts along party lines in constituencies held by the UNC, as well as in the distribution of Government grants.
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