Police fail to remove MP Sharma

POLICE officers yesterday failed to carry out the instructions of House of Representatives Speaker, Barry Sinanan, to eject  Fyzabad MP, Chandresh Sharma, from the chamber for defying his ruling. Leader of the House, Ken Valley, seemed visibly annoyed at the lack of action by the police when he spoke to Newsday after the House adjourned. Even the police, like Sharma, had defied the Speaker’s ruling as they failed to remove the Opposition MP. In a stormy session which ended prematurely, Sharma refused to obey a resolution of the House to apologise, and was suspended firstly for one month, and then indefinitely by Sinanan.

The sitting began with Sinanan saying the House had previously passed a motion calling on Sharma to apologise over the tea cup brawl with Minister of Housing, Dr Keith Rowley, last September, or be suspended for a month. Sharma rose. But his response showed no contrition, as he lambasted the ruling PNM. Sinanan interjected: “You are attempting to make a speech. Either you apologise, or don’t apologise.” At that, UNC MP for Princes Town Subhas Panday shouted to Sinanan, “You can’t tell him how to apologise!” Sharma rose again, saying, “You sent me a letter (to apologise) and I am attempting to respond to the letter.”

Sinanan retorted, “For the last time either to indicate if you are going to apologise to the House, or indicate that you are not prepared to apologise.” Sharma replied, “Am I to apologise for the Member for Diego Martin West not slapping me on the other side of my face?” Sinanan ruled, “In pursuance of the resolution of the House, you are suspended from the House for a period of one month.” “Independent UNC” MP for Barataria/San Juan MP, Dr Fuad Khan, said the House at its last sitting had incorrectly passed a motion to censure Sharma. “The motion the Member for Diego Martin Central (Ken Valley) brought was not seconded so therefore it is an illegal motion, Mr Speaker.” Sinanan dismissed Khan saying, “That’s not in order.” Sinanan called a ten-minute break, hoping the situation would cool down.

Even as the House took a break, however,  Leader of the Opposition, Basdeo Panday, had a heated exchange with Rowley. When the House resumed, Sinanan said he was giving Sharma another chance to apologise. Sharma defiantly declared, “Let me express my disappointment and outrage that this corrupt PNM Government would abuse its majority in this Parliament to vote for the suspension of a member on the basis of a biased finding.” Sinanan cut him off. He ruled Sharma be suspended for one month. “I now ask you to withdraw from the House and its precincts.” Sharma refused to move. Sinanan, “It appears to the Chair that the member does not wish to comply with the order of the House and the ruling of the Chair. In this regard I call upon. I ask the member to be removed from the House with the assistance of police officers. Marshall! The sitting of the House is suspended.” 

During the break, several police officers stood around Sharma who remained seated, while the Marshall of the House, Gilbert Hamilton, asked him to move. Sharma stayed seated, talking to Nariva MP Harry Partap. The marshall went to talk with Caroni Central MP Dr Hamza Rafeeq, seated in the position of Opposition Chief  Whip. Several UNC MPs joined the talks, but the marshall was unable to get their assistance to move Sharma. Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar told the police officers to be sure they had good legal advice before venturing to touch Sharma. Panday chimed in to warn the police that they could find themselves facing a court in the morning. Sharma stayed. Meanwhile, the marshall apparently went to seek legal advice. The sitting resumed. Sinanan called on Valley to put a motion to the House that Sharma be  “suspended from the service of the House,” which means for an indefinite time.

The House agreed, but with Opposition shouts of “No!” “No!” “No!” The House was adjourned to next Friday at 1.30 pm. Speaking to Newsday, Valley said “He cannot come to the House, unless a resolution is moved removing the suspension.” Apparently condemning the failure of the police to act, Valley said, “If a member fails to leave when directed by the Chair, he (the Speaker) can call on any police officer to remove him. And I thought that was done, and nothing has happened. And that is the frightening thing.” The House’s Standing Order 43 (10) states that to remove a defiant MP, “The Speaker shall call the attention of the House to the fact that recourse to force is necessary,” and 43 (11) lets the Speaker “invoke the assistance of any police officer in ejecting the offending member.” Valley noted that the former UNC government had once likewise suspended Dr Rowley.