Mark: Parliament should fire PMs

As he noted the country will celebrate 55 years as an independent nation in August, Mark lamented that the Parliament continues be treated as “the plaything of the Executive” and viewed as another government department or ministry.

Referring to the Government’s legislative agenda, Mark said it was instructive that one of the bills listed was the Houses of Parliament Services Authority Bill. However, he claimed that while the People’s National Movement (PNM) gave a commitment to parliamentary autonomy in its 2015 general elections manifesto, Attorney General Faris Al Rawi was holding “secret meetings” with other entities seeking to give them the kind of autonomy which the Parliament needs.

After saying Parliament must be able to approve its own budget without interference from the Finance Minister and hire its own staff, Mark claimed a parliamentarian was recently denied permission to attend a conference overseas.

He argued it was wrong for Parliament to be waiting for “a green light” from any Cabinet to be given the things it needs. Boasting that the House’s Standing Orders were changed under the PP, Mark predicted the Parliament would have already been autonomous if the PP was still in office.

Noting that the restoration of the Red House is now being overseen by a Cabinet committee chaired by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, Mark said former Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar would have left that exercise under the Parliament’s control. Citing parliaments in other Commonwealth countries, Mark said the Kenyan parliament approves all Cabinet ministerial posts. He warned the Government that if the motion lapses when the Parliament prorogues, he will bring it back.

Pointing at the government and opposition benches, Mark claimed transparence in governance only happens when, “we are there (in government) and they (PNM) are here (in opposition).”