New Standing Orders a welcome change
Dear Editor,
Both Houses of Parliament now have new Standing Orders (NSOs). Smashing! Long overdue! Very welcome changes! Doesn’t mean these NSOs are perfect. They’re human. They can be tweaked if a lacuna’s discovered. One exists a while now. The NSOs overlooked it. The committee which developed the NSOs deserted their duty to plug the loophole. No MANDATORY roll call is taken when Parliament sits or votes. May I suggest it be addressed before Rainy Season begins?
Whenever a parliamentarian is called upon to vote on a matter, his/her response must be individually recorded for posterity by the Clerk.
Voters would be able to review the attendance stats of each parliamentarian, what measures every one of them supported, rejected, ignored, or skipped, then conclude/pronounce with certainty whether this or that legislator lived up to people’s expectations.
History confirms some tend to be honourable seat-warmers or absentees enjoying handsome perks and privileges at taxpayer expense. The right to recall was recently introduced. No kidding, the recommended NSO resonates beautifully with that.
Richard Wm Thomas,
via email