Mark: We’ll boycott JSC on Vision 2030

Arguing against a governmental motion to set up a JSC on Vision 2030, Mark vowed the Opposition would be no part of any such committee if ever formed .

“Take this motion back to Balisier House!” he stormed at House Leader Franklin Khan who is also People’s National Movement (PNM) chairman .

“You want us to help you remain in power, when our objective is to get you out of power .

The Leader of Government Business is smiling because he understands the trick involved, but we will not buy that bag of tricks from him.” Recalling Khan’s earlier lament of once having to drive his van to save a pile of documents of the predecessor Vision 2020 from being dumped from a ministry, Mark teased of Vision 2030, “I think you will have to get a new truck. Don’t ask us for any nominees. We’ll not be taking part in that (JSC).” Mark, a former Speaker, said Parliament is not responsible for drafting policy to give direction to the Government .

“That is the business of Cabinet, not Parliament.” He accused Government of unnecessarily trying to impose another JSC on the backs of parliamentarians, whom together with Parliament staff, are already overworked .

“Is the Government trying to undermine the Parliament by creating new JSCs duplicating the work and causing chaos?” Accusing Government of haphazardly setting up “ad hoc” committees on a whim and without consultation and without staff, Mark said this is undermining the life and work of Parliament. “We are going to give the people of TT an alternative vision, so how can we be part of this (JSC)?” Asking if Khan wanted to rope in the Opposition as part of a one-party communist State, Mark said, “How can the minister ask us to be a part of a JSC to draw up a literal manifesto for the PNM for the next general election?” Earlier, Khan made the case for a Vision 2030 JSC by saying governance needs continuity of policy across regimes especially in energy, national security and foreign affairs. He listed several countries which have Vision 2020 or Vision 2030 policies including India, Jamaica, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Rwanda, Kenya and Namibia .

He urged Parliament to review the document, suggest changes and help formulate public policy .

Scoffing at former People’s Partnership (PP) proposals such as the “blue economy” and “silver economy”, Khan in a reference to Opposition party-colours hit, “The only plan they gave us was the yellow economy – waste, mismanagement and corruption.” The motion was eventually passed by the Senate with all but two Independent Senators backing the Government and the Opposition voting against .

The vote was 21 for the motion to set up the JSC, six against and two abstentions coming from Independent Senators Melissa Ramkissoon and Stephen Crease .