FORMER Tobago House of Assembly (THA) presiding officer Dr Denise Tsoiafatt Angus says last Wednesday’s special sitting of the House, in which Chief Secretary Farley Augustine made serious allegations of high-ranking government and police officials, was “flawed in its execution.”
Tsoiafatt Angus added that if the content of videos played during the sitting pointed to a criminal act of obstruction of justice, the chief secretary, the presiding officer and the leader of assembly business might be charged as co-conspirators.
She also said while she supported calls, in some quarters, for mediation between Dr Rowley and Augustine, “there have to be distinct lines of mediating relationships to maintain the operations of the assembly versus alleged criminal acts that are being investigated at various levels.”
Tsoiafatt Angus was referring to the investigation being carried out by the police and Integrity Commission about the controversial leaked audio clip in which two THA officials discussed using state resources to hire people for a social media propaganda campaign.
Like Minority Leader Kelvon Morris, Tsoiafatt Angus noted presiding officer Abby Taylor approved a breach of standing order 45(8) of the House in allowing Augustine to play the audio clips of conversations between him and a “whistleblower,” in which allegations were made against the high-ranking officials.
[caption id="attachment_1026872" align="alignnone" width="1024"] THA Presiding Officer Abby Taylor at the Assembly Legislature, Scarborough. - David Reid[/caption]
It states that the “conduct of the President of the Republic, members of the Assembly, members of Parliament or of judges or other persons engaged in the administration of justice shall not be raised except upon a substantive motion moved for the purpose and in any moved amendment or debate on a motion dealing with any other subject matter, any reference to the conduct of any such person as aforesaid shall be out of order.”
Tsoiafatt Angus, who served as presiding officer from 2017-2019, said when a member requests to make a statement in the House, the presiding officer, with support from the legislative staff, must review it to ensure it is in keeping with the standing orders before it is approved.
“Once approved, the statement must be read verbatim, the approved statement by the Presiding officer,” she told Newsday.
Tsoiafatt Angus, political leader of the Innovative Democratic Alliance, said after discussing with her staff, Taylor should have advised the chief secretary that the special meeting should have been in the form of a motion with a debate.
She also noted that members of Parliament, under the Westminster system, do not enjoy immunity from criminal prosecution.
Tsoiafatt Angus added this lack of criminal immunity is derived from the key tenet of the British Constitution that all are equal before the law.
“If a member of Parliament admits to a criminal act in the House, they can be charged for that act outside of the House.”
She alluded to India’s Lok Sabha
