LEADER of Government Business Camille Robinson-Regis says Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar continues to demonstrate she does not understand how the Constitution and the Parliament work.
Robinson-Regis made this response on April 8 as she rejected Persad-Bissessar's claim that the UNC had forced Government to lay an Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) report in Parliament.
In a statement last week, Persad-Bissessar said this happened because of "my recent threats of legal action and a formal query to the EBC.”
She also said as a result, the report would be laid in the House on April 8.
In a WhatsApp response to Persad-Bissessar's claims, Robinson-Regis said, "As usual the Opposition Leader lives in her own fantasy world and knows nothing about how the Parliament works."
There was no scheduled sitting of the House on April 8, though it will sit on April 13 from 1.30 pm.
The EBC 2024 report is listed on the order paper as the first of the papers Government will lay at the sitting. Deputy Speaker Esmond Forde is assigned this task.
Robinson-Regis said, "The report cannot be laid on Monday (April 8), as there is no sitting of the House of Representatives on Monday (April 8)."
She added, "The Constitution, the procedures of the House and the governmental offices all stipulate how these matters are to be dealt with. "
According to Section 72 (1) of the Constitution, the report is submitted to the Prime Minister and the Speaker of the House.
In this instance, Finance Minister Colm Imbert will receive it as acting prime minister. Dr Rowley is currently in Ireland on vacation. He will have access to the report when he returns.
Robinson-Regis said it is established practice that in these matters, the EBC report, after being received by the Speaker, is laid in the House by the Deputy Speaker.
"In the case of the report dated March 13, 2024, the timeframe here is certainly not unusual, considering that we have been on a two-week Easter break."
She said Persad-Bissessar has confused the report with a draft of an order issued by the President which gives effect to the recommendations contained in the report.
That order, Robinson-Regis continued, is referred to in Section 72(3) of the Constitution.
"The draft of an order under Section 72(3) comes to the House of Representatives subsequent to the report being laid, and the motion arising therefrom is what is debated."
Robinson-Regis then provided examples of previous times when such reports were laid in the House, as evidence Persad-Bissessar's claims lacked substance.
"The last Section 72 (1) report, dated March 14, 2019 was laid on March 29, 2019. The draft of an order by the President for giving effect, whether with or without modifications, to the recommendations contained in the report was laid on May 8, 2020."
Robinson-Regis went back further in the parliamentary records to remind Persad-Bissessar that she had presided over a similar event when she was prime minister.
"History will show that as for the Section 72(1) report
