OPPOSITION LEADER Edward Seaga continues to push for the impeachment of parliamentarians and other holders of high office as part of his model to reform and strengthen Government.
Making his presentation to the 2003/04 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives yesterday, Mr. Seaga offered what, he said, was a new proposal to ensure that impeachment moves forward.
SPECIFIC OATHS
Under his plan, Cabinet Ministers, the Leader of the Opposition, parliamentarians and other holders of high offices would have to take specific oaths.
"The central consideration is to hinge impeachment on failure to perform specific criteria of good governance," Mr. Seaga said.
According to the Jamaica Labour Party leader, while Cabinet Ministers were bound by duty to carry out just administration, protect human rights and safeguard revenues, there were no legal sanctions if they failed to carry out their functions.
He said Cabinet members should be required to take an oath of office that would subject their performance to interpretation by the court.
Mr. Seaga argued that the current oath which requires Cabinet Ministers to "freely give advice to the Governor-General ...for the good management of the public affairs of Jamaica," is outdated and should be discarded.
"There is need to replace this relic of obsolescence with an oath of office which will bind every Prime Minister of Jamaica and the Cabinet to be accountable for the principles of good governance," Mr. Seaga said.
Recently he introduced a resolution in the House calling for the establishment of a joint select committee to conclude discussions on the matter of impeachment which was given much play during major constitutional reform debates in the 1990s.
During the 1990s the Constitutional Reform Commission considered and accepted a proposal from the opposition Jamaica Labour Party for the introduction of impeachment.
AGREED
This was later agreed to by the joint select parliamentary committee on Constitutional Reform, save only for the composition of the parliamentary committee that would recommend impeachment of public officials.
Impeachment is a procedure whereby accusations are brought by a legislative or executive branch of Government against civil officials. The penalty for impeachment is usually the loss of office and the barring of the party found guilty from holding public office at any time for the rest of his or her life.
Mr. Seaga said the fear of being evicted from office, would ensure better performance by public officials, whether elected or non-elected.
