Speaker again turns down Kamla motion

It was the second time in recent months that the motion, presented to the Parliament under the Standing Orders dealing with definite matters of urgent public importance, was not granted by Speaker of the Parliament Brigid Annisette-George.

“There is a misconception.

People say I bring these motions under the wrong standing order. No. It is my respectful view that it is the right standing order because I am bringing them as definite matters of urgent public importance,” she told the media.

Murders committed in 2017, she said, were more than the days in the year already. What was taking place in Central Trinidad where the majority were killed, was massacre, she said.

Even National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, she said, saw it fit to go out to the rally and address the gathering, and the Opposition will support any initiative that would help in the fight against crime.

Calling on civil society to hold the government to ransom to make the policies and take decisions to help fight crime, Persad-Bissessar said, It was all well and good to rally, march, hold hands and say “we are fighting crime,” but she said, Government must be held accountable.

She said Government has not paid compensation to one family of police and protective services officers killed in the line of duty.

“Sixteen months later and you have not paid one, and you want to talk about the police and the morale of the police?” She said she sent a draft of a Cabinet note to show Government how it could be done.

This week, she said, she intends to take a matter to court as a test case, for a family of the protective services who was killed in the line of duty.

“It is a next public interest matter that I should be taking on behalf of one family, but it will be a test case for all protective officers,” she said.