A SHAMBOLIC NATIONAL ASSEMBLY!
The mediocrity that has beset the National Assembly ever since Pat Pillay took over the Speakership, reached a new low last Tuesday when a Minister’s appointment had to be approved twice within 24 hours. Pillay, on the advice of his inept Legal Advisor, the eccentric Daniel Cesar, failed to properly apply Article 69 (2) of our Constitution. Once again, Pat Pillay was the butt of ridicule on the social media, when it became clear to all and sundry that he had misinterpreted the said Article, and had confused; “with the approval of a majority of the members of the National Assembly” with “the approval of a majority of members present and voting”.
This national embarrassment came about when Pamela Charlette was nominated by President Faure for approval as Minister by the National Assembly. Mrs. Charlette failed to obtain the required seventeen votes when all members of the opposition majority decided to abstain. For the first time ever in the history of our country, the National Assembly had to reconvene to vote once again for a Minister in an extra ordinary sitting the following Thursday. But then again, it was another cock-up! This time, it was the Standing Orders, the rules that regulate the proceedings of the Assembly, which were smothered. Contrary to Rule 54 (6) that bans any arguments on any questions discussed during the last twelve months except upon a motion to rescind that decision with the permission of the Speaker, the assembly proceeded to vote in favour of the nomination without first rescinding its decision of the previous Tuesday.
The question, that is now the subject of bitter debate on the social media, is whether the approval of Mrs. Charlette as Minister is legal or not. It further transpired that the Minister for Tourism, Mr. Lousteau-Lalande, also became Minister without the necessary majority required under the Constitution.
These debacles speak volumes about the competence of Pat Pillay as Speaker and Daniel Cesar as his Legal Advisor. It is now being alleged that most of the Bills enacted under his chairmanship are unconstitutional or illegal because they were not done according to established rules and procedures. Question times have now become statement times………..
That the Assembly is now in total disarray is further evidenced by the complete impossibility of obtaining verbatims of any meeting done during the previous four weeks. Staff are also complaining the autocratic Godfra Hermitte, the Director General in charge of Administration and Finance. Mr. Hermitte seems to have absolutely no knowledge of financial transactions let alone how to manage the cash flow. It is believed that most budgets have been depleted due to the extravaganza ongoing at the Assembly and the many paid committees that have been set up, some of which have not even met once. Discipline seems to be also a major problem, with young boys wearing tight jeans running the show and throwing their weights around. It is more than obvious that both Pat Pillay and Daniel Cesar need to do the honorable thing and resign from their present positions. To quote Oliver Cromwell “In the name of God, go”
The buzz in the Victoria market last Saturday, was to bring back Herminie; “I ava met en lord dan sa landwar”!
Independent
This national embarrassment came about when Pamela Charlette was nominated by President Faure for approval as Minister by the National Assembly. Mrs. Charlette failed to obtain the required seventeen votes when all members of the opposition majority decided to abstain. For the first time ever in the history of our country, the National Assembly had to reconvene to vote once again for a Minister in an extra ordinary sitting the following Thursday. But then again, it was another cock-up! This time, it was the Standing Orders, the rules that regulate the proceedings of the Assembly, which were smothered. Contrary to Rule 54 (6) that bans any arguments on any questions discussed during the last twelve months except upon a motion to rescind that decision with the permission of the Speaker, the assembly proceeded to vote in favour of the nomination without first rescinding its decision of the previous Tuesday.
The question, that is now the subject of bitter debate on the social media, is whether the approval of Mrs. Charlette as Minister is legal or not. It further transpired that the Minister for Tourism, Mr. Lousteau-Lalande, also became Minister without the necessary majority required under the Constitution.
These debacles speak volumes about the competence of Pat Pillay as Speaker and Daniel Cesar as his Legal Advisor. It is now being alleged that most of the Bills enacted under his chairmanship are unconstitutional or illegal because they were not done according to established rules and procedures. Question times have now become statement times………..
That the Assembly is now in total disarray is further evidenced by the complete impossibility of obtaining verbatims of any meeting done during the previous four weeks. Staff are also complaining the autocratic Godfra Hermitte, the Director General in charge of Administration and Finance. Mr. Hermitte seems to have absolutely no knowledge of financial transactions let alone how to manage the cash flow. It is believed that most budgets have been depleted due to the extravaganza ongoing at the Assembly and the many paid committees that have been set up, some of which have not even met once. Discipline seems to be also a major problem, with young boys wearing tight jeans running the show and throwing their weights around. It is more than obvious that both Pat Pillay and Daniel Cesar need to do the honorable thing and resign from their present positions. To quote Oliver Cromwell “In the name of God, go”
The buzz in the Victoria market last Saturday, was to bring back Herminie; “I ava met en lord dan sa landwar”!
Independent
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