Prime Minister Perry Christie drew a verbal reprimand from the Opposition Free National Movement on Wednesday for delaying debate on substantial bills, even though he secured the unanimous approval of House Members to revert on the agenda to allow several communications by cabinet ministers.
Legislators were to have debated the Bill for an Act to Amend the Passenger Tax Act to establish more concrete procedures and mechanisms for the collection and payment of passenger and ticket taxes.
But that was once again put on hold and for at least two reasons, according to Prime Minister Christie.
Instead, three Cabinet Ministers who hold substantial posts brought Members of Parliament up to speed on the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force, school repairs, the Prison Reform Commission and housing matters.
“We would hope that going back on the agenda would not become the standard operating procedure because this is the third consecutive meeting when such requests were facilitated by the Opposition,” said Opposition leader and North Eleuthera MP Alvin Smith.
The chastisement from the Opposition MP for Montagu Brent Symonette was much more piercing as he rose to his feet and reminded the Prime Minister, who is a newly inducted Rotarian and a Paul Harris Fellow, about the organization’s key principles, suggesting that Mr. Christie was not sticking to them.
He expressed his doubts about the significance of what was communicated by the Attorney General and Education Minister Alfred Sears, the Deputy Prime Minister Cynthia Pratt and the Minister of Housing Shane Gibson.
“If you look at the communication on prison reform, that was announced three weeks ago and the one that the Attorney General gave on the CFATF, all of that was carried in the press already,” Mr. Symonette told the Bahama Journal. “I don’t think the communications warranted going back on the agenda; an agenda that we have gone back on since the House started meeting (in October).”
“Parliament is there to legislate and pass bills and all we are doing is communicating things that aren’t urgent. That is my frustration. I thought it (Wednesday) was a total waste of 40 parliamentarians’ day,” added Mr. Symonette, the lead speaker on tourism affairs.
But although Mr. Christie recognized the opposition’s approval to go back on the agenda as a “courtesy,” he also insisted that the communications from Cabinet Ministers were important.
“I have asked the Attorney General to provide the opposition with a copy of the amendment the essence of which was to ensure that there was a definitive explanation of the provision within the legislation covering the payment of what we know as departure tax and in the event of someone not travelling, providing for the return of the money,” he said. “The bills provided and clearly did so for the return of the ticket tax payable but it was silent with respect to the return of the passenger tax or departure tax.”
And he pointed out that he wanted the Passenger Tax Bill to be reviewed by the Opposition before it was debated.
“I think it is important for members opposite to know what is being done and to have before you specific policy statements by ministers so that you are able to respond constructively to them,” explained Mr. Christie, who suggested that he was not trying to “belabour” the House.
Legislators also intend to deal with an amendment to the Tariff Bill that would affect taxi cab drivers. The government also wants to move on bills to allow first time home owners to be exempt from stamp duty, a real property tax amendment and changes to the Business License Act.
Other proposed pieces of legislation that are intended to be debated are the Engineers Bill and the Cooperatives Bill.
The House of Assembly has been suspended until next week Wednesday.
By Tameka Lundy, The Bahama Journal
