Sharma hits Sinanan

FYZABAD MP Chandresh Sharma has criticised the way Friday’s session of the House of Representatives was handled by Speaker, Barry Sinanan. Sinanan suspended Sharma indefinitely from the “service of the House” after Sharma repeatedly refused to obey a House resolution to apologise for the Tea Cup Brawl, and had refused an order to leave the chamber. Sharma said Sinanan acted incorrectly firstly in suspending him, secondly in giving him another chance to apologise, and thirdly in calling on the police and House Marshall to eject him from the House. Sharma yesterday spoke to Sunday Newsday.

He said on May 6 the House had voted to adopt the report of the Privileges Committee into the brawl, but said the House was not then empowered to add on a resolution censuring him. “You can’t just add on a resolution to the report. You have to say where you claim that I misled you, and give me a chance to respond to it.” Echoing concerns by “Independent UNC” MP for Barataria/San Juan, Dr Fuad Khan, Sharma said the motion was invalid because it had never been seconded. Sharma said Sinanan was wrong to dismiss Khan’s objection to the motion, and said that instead Sinanan should have inquired under what standing order Khan was objecting. Sharma criticised Sinanan’s conduct of affairs on Friday.

He said Sinanan had prematurely cut off his contribution without knowing whether or not he was intending to apologise further down in his contribution. Sharma also said Sinanan was wrong to give him a second chance to apologise, after having just suspended him. “When you suspend me you can’t come again and give me a second chance, but then increase the penalty. After you suspend me, I cease to exist in your eyes, so you can’t come a second time to sentence me again.” Sharma said the police and Marshall of the House acted properly in declining to forcibly eject him. He said that after Sinanan told the police to remove him, the House was suspended and was not in session, and that he was protected by the privilege of an MP from being molested by anyone including police, just as no one could serve a summons on Dr Rowley in the precincts of Parliament.