Speaker puts the brakes on Manohar

HOUSE SPEAKER Barry Sinanan yesterday warned Chaguanas MP Manohar Ramsaran twice about imputing improper motives against unnamed Government ministers and private citizens. Sinanan also had to caution all parliamentarians about quoting voluminous extracts from newspapers and other documents in their contributions.

Speaking during debate in the House of Representatives on Private Members’ Day, Ramsaran charged that calypsonian Cro Cro knew the identity of the kidnappers in Trinidad and Tobago, while another individual was a known associate of kidnappers. He was promptly warned by Sinanan about imputing improper motives against private citizens under the cover of parliamentary privilege. Minutes later, Sinanan had to warn Ramsaran again when he (Ramsaran) alleged that an unnamed Government minister was involved in criminal activity.

Throughout his contribution, Ramsaran quoted extensively from several newspaper articles, one of which claimed 3,000 Indo-Trinidadians were seeking refugee status in Canada. This prompted Sinanan to quote from the 22nd edition of May’s Parliamentary Practice about reading extracts from documents. “A member may read extracts from documents but such extracts and quotations must be relatively short.  The purpose of this rule is to maintain the cut and thrust of debate which depends on successive speakers meeting in their speeches, to some extent, the arguments of their speeches. I am saying this Honourable Members simply because some Members tend to concentrate on reading voluminous extracts from newspapers and documents. Please bear this in mind. I am appealing to all Members,” the Speaker stated.

Ramsaran repeatedly boasted that “the UNC has a proud track-record of dealing with the problems of TT” and praised UNC leader Basdeo Panday’s track-record as prime minister. He said the UNC was founded on principles of inclusion, found in South Africa’s African National Congress and the Congress Party of India. “They (PNM) practice racism every day in TT,” the UNC MP declared, and claimed to have been offered “a huge package” by an unnamed Government minister. Ramsaran claimed that under the UNC, there was never a problem about drugs in the nation’s schools and described Education Minister Hazel Manning as “hapless.” He also claimed the non-provision of school books and meals to schoolchildren by the PNM was causing children to drop out of school and turn to a life of crime.  Ramsaran further alleged there was racial discrimination in the distribution of physical disability grants and in appointing a comptroller at the Customs and Excise Division. He claimed that once the term of Public Services Commission chairman Kenneth Lalla expires in June, all hell would break loose in Customs because Government had lined up a PNM supporter to become the next Comptroller of Customs.