Omar Anderson,Gleaner Writer
OPPOSITION SENATORS reacted angrily yesterday to the suspension of debate on three bills enabling the introduction of electronic voting.
According to the Opposition members, they were deceived by the government, which had promised that the bills would have been passed at yesterday's sitting.
Instead, the bills were merely tabled, with debate set for next Friday's sitting.
The bills are an Act to Amend the Parish Councils Act, An Act to Amend the Representation of the People Act, and An Act to Amend the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation Act.
DELIBERATE PLOY
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) senators charged that the debate's postponement was a deliberate ploy to delay the holding of the West Kingston by-election to facilitate the entry of party leader, Bruce Golding, into the House of Representatives.
Senator Burchell Whiteman, Leader of Government Business, said the bills, which were passed in the House of Representatives last Tuesday, needed additional amendment, and, as such, more time was necessary to allow members of the Senate to examine the documents.
But the Opposition senators rejected this, with Senator Bruce Golding briefly charging that the Opposition had been hoodwinked.
STICKING TO STANDING ORDERS
According to the JLP senator, it appeared there was a "new resolve" to stick "scrupulously" to the provisions of the standing orders which require a four-day period between the first and second reading of a bill.
"We accept that and we will seek to ensure there is no departure from that in the future," Senator Golding remarked. "Based on undertakings given to me personally by a senior member of the Cabinet, I consider the handling of this matter to be an expression of bad faith, and the Opposition and the JLP will advise itself accordingly on that matter."
Responding, Senator Whiteman agreed there had been times in the past when the government had asked for a bill to be debated without the required four-day period.
He said, however, that in such cases, he had given the opposition advanced information on the bills to be debated.
"I am by nature and tradition a person willing to cooperate. I am not aware of any undertakings given by any senior minister," said Mr. Whiteman, adding that such undertakings, if they were, had not been communicated to him.
But ignoring beckonings from Senator Golding to have the matter rested, Senator Johnson, leader of Opposition business, said the JLP did not welcome the delay despite assurances that the bills "would be dealt with withdispatch."
