The re­cent­ly con­clud­ed bud­get de­bate in the House of Rep­re­sen­ta­tives is a clear in­di­ca­tion that mud­sling­ing is the or­der of the day and the Par­lia­ment has been re­duced to a fish mar­ket squab­ble.

Some­thing must be done to re­store the dig­ni­ty and deco­rum of the House if it is to ever re­gain the re­spect of the gen­er­al pop­u­la­tion. Here I would ven­ture to sug­gest that we ap­point a Par­lia­men­tary om­buds­man through whom all these ru­mours, half-truths and in­nu­en­does should pass and be vet­ted be­fore they are aired in the House.

This will help in some mea­sure to di­min­ish the un­sa­vory as­pect of the sit­ting and bring some or­der and reg­u­lar­i­ty to the par­lia­men­tary cham­ber. This of­fi­cer must be able to work hand in hand with the speak­er to en­sure that truth and ve­rac­i­ty pre­vail.

Dr Clif­ford Ram­cha­ran

St Au­gus­tine