THE FIRST briefing of the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) of the House of Representatives by Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies, ended in uproar at Gordon House yesterday.
The briefing ended in a shouting match between Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) MP Karl Samuda (North Central St. Andrew) and some People's National Party (PNP) MPs. Mr. Samuda claimed the Opposition was being muzzled and the whole briefing process was a charade. Government Members criticised him for coming late and chided him: "This is not Belmond Road". The JLP's headquarters is on Belmont Road in New Kingston. Mr. Samuda was, however, supported by Government backbencher Ronnie Thwaites (Central Kingston).
The problem started with the decision of the Leader of the House, Dr. Peter Phillips, and Speaker Violet Neilson to restrict the briefing to two hours. The briefing started half-an-hour late at 10.30 a.m. and was scheduled to end at 12.30 p.m. But, Mr. Samuda and Mr. Thwaites wanted more time to question the Minister.
Mr. Thwaites said it was an historic occasion and, while he was "entirely submissive" to the Speaker's guidelines, it was a matter which affected the life of every person in the country.
"It is a unique opportunity for those of us who are representatives to be put in a position to explain to our constituents what is happening. I am hoping you will adopt a liberal posture as far as time is concerned," he said."
Mrs. Neilson: "There will be much more opportunities."
Mr. Thwaites: "So you are restricting us regarding further questions?"
Leader of the House, Dr. Peter Phillips, said while he was not imposing any guillotine on the work of the committee, it could not be open-ended.
Mr. Samuda called on the Speaker to exercise greater flexibility with regards to the times allowed for the briefing: "I was not aware that this meeting had a fixed time-frame. I would ask that certainly in the future that no such fixed time-frame be applied," he said.
As Mr. Samuda spoke, he was heckled by Government Members, but he continued: "You can afford more time."
The Speaker: "You were supposed to be here from ten o'clock. It just can't continue forever."
Mr. Phillips: "I don't believe the Member really intended to be taken at face value, his comment that we should have no limit, because if we were to have no limit then we could go on forever. There is no magic to 12.30 p.m. but it cannot go on forever. This is not a seminar."
Mr. Samuda: "It is tokenism."
The briefing eventually adjourned at 12.45 p.m. amidst the shouts which continued for about half an hour afterwards.
