With protest action expected outside, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar will attempt to persuade all nine Independent Senators of the need to support the controversial Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2014 today when she presents it herself for debate in the Senate.
The support of at least one of the Independent Senator is required for the measure, which seeks to establish a two-term limit for a prime minister, a system of recall for non-performing MPs and a runoff system for candidates if no one contesting the respective seats gets more than 50 per cent of the votes cast in a general election.The Independents were tight-lipped on their position when contacted for comment yesterday.All government senators have been told to be prepared to contribute to the debate.
Many citizens and organisations, including the Law Association and Dr Merle Hodge, who was a member of the Constitution reform Committee, have been critical of the legislation, saying the bill should be delayed so that the public be consulted on it first.
Today will be the first time Persad-Bissessar, as leader of the People's Partnership (PP), will be going to the Senate to present a bill for debate but it is not the first time a PM will be taking such a measure in recent times. In 2009, then prime minister Patrick Manning went to the Senate to speak on legislation to postpone the constitutionally due local government elections.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill was passed with a simple majority in the House of Representatives earlier this month. Government has 16 senators but one of them is the Senate President Timothy Hamel-Smith, who does not have an original vote.If the six Opposition People's National Movement (PNM) and nine Independent Senators vote against the measure then it will be tied at 15-15 and the presiding officer, who is expected to be Senate Vice-President James Lambert, can exercise his casting vote.
Labour leaders, NGOs and citizens began an all-night vigil last evening outside the Parliament, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the bill but up to last night there was no suggestion that Government was backing down.The bill was passed in a marathon sitting in the House of Representatives which ended in the wee hours of the morning but today's Senate debate is expected to adjourn this evening and resume on Wednesday. Each senator has 45 minutes original speaking time with a maximum 15 minute extension.
The sitting begins at 1.30 pm at Tower D, Waterfront Centre, Wrightson Road, Port-of-Spain.