Speaker berates government over PQ failings

(CNS): House Speaker Sir Alden McLaughlin told members of the House of Parliament on Tuesday that he was troubled by the government’s failure to bring answers to most of the questions that had been submitted to the House despite it having ample time to do so. After answering just two questions submitted by opposition members yesterday, the government had no more answers today, even though there were at least 17 outstanding questions. McLaughlin described this as “abhorrent to democracy”.

This meeting of parliament had been postponed twice, once due to Hurricane Beryl, which gave ministers, ministries and departments more than 28 days to produce answers to the 19 questions posed for this session. McLaughlin said that two were answered on Monday, but no other answers to the list of questions have been submitted to parliament.

“This parliament meets very infrequently. It is absolutely abhorrent to democracy for ministers not to be in a position to answer questions asked of them. It is a critically important part of the whole parliamentary scrutiny,” he said. “This meeting is unlikely to last beyond this week. I am urging ministers to do whatever they can to ensure that answers are submitted so that the parliament can carry out its critically important role as scrutineers of the executive.”

The opposition PPM submitted at least 16 questions, ranging from the continually delayed opening of the long-term mental health facility to the government’s controversial plans for a costly third communications submarine cable.