INDEPENDENT Senator Hazel Thompson-Ahye on Tuesday delivered her verdict on the conduct of opposition senators against independent senators during an extraordinary sitting of the Electoral College on October 21,2021. "Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!"
On that day the College rejected a motion filed by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar for the appointment of a tribunal to investigate the removal of President Paula-Mae Weekes from office.
Persad-Bissessar’s motion was in relation to events that led to the collapse of the Police Service Commission (PSC) last month and the failure to send a merit list of candidates for a commissioner of police (CoP) to the House of Representatives for consideration.
In her contribution to debate in a Senate on a motion by Independent Senator Anthony Vieira to censure opposition senators for their actions last October, Thompson-Ahye described the events which transpired on October 21, 2021 as "Thunder Thursday."
She said, "Thunder Thursday was when opposition senators, among others, engaged in boisterous behaviour and sought to make mas in the hallowed halls of Parliament." Thompson-Ahye categorically rejected claims from Opposition Senator Jearlean John that what happened last October was robust politics and the UNC exercising freedom of expression.
Referring to the Parliament's Hansard records of the sitting of the Electoral College, Thompson-Ahye said it was clear that opposition senators by their actions brought the college into disrepute by attacking independent senators and accusing them of being biased.
"This is not about the right to disagree." Describing the actions of opposition senators as baffling, Thompson-Ahye said, 'It made me swallow a thesaurus."
She rejected assertions from the UNC that independent senators were supportive of the PNM. Thompson-Ahye said she has never been a member of any political party and has politely declined one offer by a party to serve in government.
While independent senators are selected by the President in accordance with the Constitution, Thompson-Ahye said Weekes "gives us no instructions." Weekes, Thompson-Ahye continued, "made it quite clear to us that we do not represent her or her views in this Parliament."
For that reason. she said Opposition claims to this effect are nothing but malicious assertions. Thompson-Ahye wondered if the opposition senators forgot the number of times the independent senators supported numerous amendments they made to various pieces of legislation, only to either abstain or vote against the legislation in question.
She also described the behaviour of the Opposition last October was the work of an inept playwright and an amateur cast of actors, trying to portray themselves as the alternative government.
Independent Senator Dr Maria Dillon-Remy said, "We are in trouble. It seems as though nothing has changed." She supported Thompson-Ahye's dismissal of John's claims. Dillon-Remy also disagreed with temporary Opposition Senator Jowelle De Souza's claim that the motion was frivolous.
While t
