Sharma showdown in Parliament today

UNC MP for Fyzabad Chandresh Sharma yesterday said he was well prepared for anything that could happen today when he attempts to attend the 1.30 pm sitting of the House of Representatives. Sharma told Newsday he was not afraid, and would still be going to Parliament today in defiance of House Speaker Barry Sinanan’s ruling last Friday that he be “suspended from the service of the House” and his own party’s advice on Wednesday (at its parliamentary caucus meeting at Rienzi Complex in Couva) not to attend today’s sitting of the Lower House. Sinanan suspended Sharma last week after he failed to apologise in accordance with a motion passed by the House on May 6, following the approval of the Privileges Committee report on the September 2004 tearoom incident between Sharma and Housing Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

On Wednesday, following the UNC’s parliamentary caucus, Sharma issued a statement indicating his resolve to attend today’s sitting despite the party’s advice that this would give the ruling PNM “a wonderful, much-needed political distraction.” UNC Fyzabad constituency executive representative Doodnath Mayrhoo said the executive met at Sharma’s Unity Court office in Fyzabad yesterday and unanimously passed a resolution, pleading with him not to go to Parliament today.  Mayrhoo added that the executive and Sharma’s constituents are very concerned for his safety should he attend today’s sitting of the House. 

He said the Fyzabad executive has advised constituents not to stage any gathering outside the Red House today as they believe this would encourage him to go to Parliament. Mayrhoo said Sharma arrived towards the end of yesterday’s two-hour meeting and said he would take their views into consideration. The Fyzabad MP said while he understood the views being expressed by both his party and constituents, he believes he has a duty to attend Parliament. Following Sharma’s suspension, Leader of Government Business Ken Valley said Sharma could not attend Parliament unless a resolution is moved to remove his suspension.  Valley told Newsday yesterday that while there was a distinct possibility that the Opposition could bring such a motion to Parliament today, “we (Government) are not going to support it.”