Camille slams Kamla on JSC

PLANNING and Development Minister Camille Robinson-Regis slammed Siparia MP Kamla Persad-Bissessar for extolling the virtues of parliamentary joint select committees (JSCs) when she prevented the JSC appointed to deal with the Police Reform Bills from completing its work. Both women were members of that JSC. The Minister said Persad-Bissessar was being hypocritical for claiming that the PNM was to blame for preventing the JSC’s work. She said while the JSC was supposed to complete its work in 12 weeks, its meetings had to be aborted because of the non-appearance of UNC members. Robinson-Regis said Persad-Bissessar attended four out of ten public meetings which the JSC held.
 
“Those on the other side showed absolutely no interest in their own legislation,” she declared. The Minister explained that a JSC “is a sub-sector of the entire Parliament and as a consequence of that, if a particular piece of legislation is taken out of that and returned to the House, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that”. “It gives members the opportunity to contribute in the fullest way in decision-making with regard to the legislation,” she declared.