Dionne Rose, Parliamentary Reporter
THE SENATE yesterday rejected a private member's motion brought by the Opposition to appoint a Joint Select Committee of Parliament to examine the cement crisis.
The rejection of the motion brought by Opposition Senator, Shirley Williams came after more than five hours of debate.
The motion is one of several attempts made by the Opposition to have the Industry and Commerce Minister, Phillip Paulwell held accountable for the release of faulty cement on the market, which in February resulted in a shortage of cement islandwide, the stoppage of several major construction projects and the loss of some 30,000 jobs in the construction sector.
The Opposition had publicly called for the resignation of Mr. Paulwell, and has also moved a censure motion against the minister in the House of Representatives, which is yet to be debated.
But yesterday, Senator Williams again sought to have the matter brought under the microscope of Parliament when she asked that the full report of the investigative team appointed by Mr. Paulwell, be tabled in both Houses of Parliament and that a committee be set up.
A TIMELY MANNER
"There has to be a way forward and I believe that we as a body, have the responsibility. I fear that much of what was recommended (by the investigative team) will not be implemented or if implemented will not be done in a timely manner," she said.
But it was clear that the Government Senators would not support the motion. One by one, six of nine members present outlined to the Senate why they would not support the motion.
Government Senator Trevor Munroe said he was satisfied with the steps taken by the minister in question to address the cement shortage with the eventual removal of the external tariffs on imported cement.
"Let us implement the recommendations of the investigation team on pages 69 to 71 and let us do that together, not score political points in the interest of the construction sector, of the economy, of the Jamaican workers and Jamaican people," he said.
When the question was asked that the motion be adopted, nine Government Senators rejected it with five Opposition Senators supporting it. The motion was not carried.
