The opposition's no-confidence motion against Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi will come up for parliamentary debate between next Thursday and next month, Leader of Government Business in the Lower House Camille Robinson-Regis said yesterday.
The Opposition last week filed a motion of no-confidence concerning the AG after he successfully piloted the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) bill to passage last Tuesday. The controversial bill seeks to expand the remit of the SSA to collect information on a wide range of matters rather than dealing with drug interdiction only. The SSA has the power of wire-tapping following application for a warrant. The Opposition has argued that the bill violates fundamental freedoms including privacy and requires a three-fifths majority for passage, rather than the simple majority via which it was passed.
The no-confidence motion qualifies for debate 12 days after it was filed. Opposition business such as this is handled every fourth Friday of the month which is Private Members' Day. Yesterday, Robinson-Regis said the motion qualified for debate any time after next Thursday (May 26)
However, Opposition officials noted another Lower House session will not be held in May again after next week since next Thursday is a holiday. The Lower House will not be meeting on the Friday after that (May 27). Therefore, after that, the next available opportunity for the motion to be debated may be on the next Private Members' Day, that is, June 24.
On whether the UNC will seek earlier debate (some time immediately after May 26) Opposition MP Barry Padarath said the UNC's caucus meets tomorrow and will discuss the issue.
Robinson-Regis said the Government is ready whenever the Opposition is with all speakers in reserve. But she noted next Wednesday–when the Lower House meets–is the day for government business.
Robinson-Regis also noted that Friday's House session will feature debate on the long-awaited procurement legislation which has been reviewed by a joint select committee. The latter's report on the legislation will be debated and it will be debated in the Senate next week Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the SSA bill is being sent to the President for assent, Parliament confirmed. Yesterday, former PP activist and now "social/political activist" Philip Alexander wrote the President calling on him to "hold his hand" on assenting to the bill pending investigation of whether it really needed a special three-fifths majority vote for passage, rather than the simple majority vote via which it was passed.
Ramadhar responds to Rowley
It was very disappointing that Prime Minister Keith Rowley could only say 'crime is unacceptable' and not give a sense of hope that the situation will be dealt with, Opposition MP Prakash Ramadhar has said.
Rowley expressed the view when he returned home from overseas last weekend. But Ramadhar (Opposition shadow National Security spokesman) said, "The PM's utterance was extremely disappointing in terms of the best that could have been offered by the country's leader. We've always known crime is unacceptable and it's so atrocious now that people are living in greater fear. So they look to the leadership to send some sense of hope, for light at what is hoped will be a short tunnel, but we've been disappointed.
"It requires a more robust effort in terms of police response and it must be ensured that responses received by agencies must also be attended to as sometimes a murder is triggered from small arguments. A breach of the peace can therefore lead to something far worse and if intervention is made at the earliest opportunity, many crimes–especially murder–can be avoided.
"What this does is empower the lawful and law-abiding to know that state resources will come to their assistance, whatever their difficulties. It will also weaken the criminal element's resolve if they know that every infraction of the rights of others will immediately be met by the full force of law enforcement."