Take these chains from my House

Now, after following the puerile events of last Friday, I can safely say that it recreated in me images of a kindergarten filled with unruly political toddlers standing up and monotonously invoking Standing Orders to disturb and rudely interrupt the smooth delivery of the Opposition speakers incessantly, unnecessarily and annoyingly.

The House was debating the nomination by the President that Martin George become a member of the Police Service Commission (PSC) through an affirmative vote of Parliament.

Although the President had previously consulted the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition and received their agreement for the nomination, it had to receive as well the affirmative vote of the members of the House to become legal.

Accordingly, the concerted, orchestrated and disruptive attempts of the Government members to prevent and stymie the Opposition from assessing the suitability of the incumbent to perform and carry out the identified functions of the PSC were pathetic and immature if not restrictive and very artificial.

How can MPs legitimately do the requisite due diligence assessment of George if they cannot and will not be allowed by the Speaker to refer to the remit of the PSC in their statements? In the end Opposition MPs, Dr Roodal Moonilal, Dr Bhoe Tewarie and Dr Suruj Rambachan had to prematurely and in total disgust abandon and terminate their contributions.

It appears again that the Government members had some urgent extra-residential duties to perform on Friday evening.

Accordingly, their kindergarten conduct aided by the principal allowed them to unduly restrict and terminate the proceedings of the House prematurely as they did at 5.30 pm — one hour longer than the previous Friday. These people are short-changing us.

STEPHEN KANGAL Caroni