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GCCI chides APNU over PSC lockout
…coalition says action was in protest of Teixeira’s behaviour
The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), led by its President, Clinton Urling, yesterday sought to admonish A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), over its walkout of the special select committee on the Anti Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Bill.
GCCI’s President, Clinton Urling
GCCI in a public missive yesterday said it is calling on all parliamentary representatives to leave political grandstanding out of the negotiations of the Bill.
The body said that it notes with deep disappointment, the position adopted by APNU to withdraw and not allow outside observers to the Parliamentary Select Committee debates concerning the amendments.
“The Private Sector Commission (PSC) is the second civil society stakeholder, after the media, to have been refused access to the Committee’s meetings.”
The statement yesterday said that it is the GCCI’s view that the issues to be deliberated on the Bill do not constitute sensitive information that would require secrecy by the Committee.
“During meetings with both government and the APNU, the lament from both sides was to cast blame on the other for not attending meetings or adhering to appropriate procedures of the Select Committee.”
GCCI said that at those meetings, the private sector delegation received assurances from all parliamentary parties that they would welcome public screenings and observations of the Select Committee deliberations on the said Bill.
“It is therefore surprising, and discouraging, that the APNU has deviated from this position.”
The body said that it believes that public access to parliamentary committees is an important part of government transparency and is hopeful that APNU would rethink its position and re-engage in the deliberations and allow for a vote on public access by the Committee members.
According GCCI “the Bill is too important to our nation’s economy and development to have partisan and petty political tactics and grandstanding affect its consideration, augmentation and eventual passage.”
Protest
Meanwhile APNU yesterday sought to explain its position by saying the walkout was in protest over the attitude and behaviour of the Chairperson of the Committee, Gail Teixeira.
The coalition yesterday noted that the meeting – which started on friendly enough terms even to the extent of glossing over passage of the minutes which had led to some tense moments during the last meeting – came to a sudden and abrupt halt over a ruling by the Chair regarding her powers in relation to voting on a motion proposed by Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh.
“This was the first substantive item on the agenda; a request from the Private Sector Commission to participate as observers at the session.”
It said that at the previous meeting, APNU had reported that it had no objection to the participation of stakeholders in the Select Committee’s deliberations on an ad hoc basis and as the need arose.
At Tuesday’s meeting when the matters were discussed, APNU’s Spokesman on Finance and Planning, Carl Greenidge, reminded the meeting of the earlier decision and proposed, in response to the PSC request, that the same formula be employed.
“In other words, that the Committee should respond indicating that, in keeping with the Standing Order governing Select Committees and the press, the Committee was not prepared to have observers but was agreeable to inviting stakeholders at an appropriate point as the need arose…It would not therefore be in a position to invite the PSC as an observer throughout all the sittings.”
The motion was passed.
According to APNU, Dr Singh, who had been trying to persuade the meeting to support full attendance on grounds of their importance, proposed that an additional motion be adopted authorizing the PSC to be invited as observers to all future meetings of the Select Committee.
Dr Singh’s motion was regarded by the majority of members at the meeting as contradictory to the motion which had been already approved.
APNU said that they therefore considered it improper and decided that it should not be put to a vote. Teixeira however contended that she was not bound to be guided by the meeting and put the matter to the vote.
“Her Government colleagues invited the Opposition to oppose the motion, if they dared…When a majority of members called for the matter to be resolved by way of a vote Teixeira refused.”
The Opposition members therefore refused to participate in the vote and walked out of the meeting.
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