( L - R ) Junor, Knight, Henry

Government members K.D. Knight and John Junor yesterday ended their term as members of Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the same way they began - in a cantankerous manner.

The oftentimes quarrelsome duo was at it again yesterday, forcing the PAC to adjourn prematurely in its last sitting before the Parliament is prorogued.

The end came yesterday after Government members outvoted Opposition members to discontinue the meeting, which was examining the Auditor General's Report on the Ministry of Finance.

This came after Mr. Knight and Mr. Junor questioned the relevance of the meeting, in light of the impending general election announced for next month.

"An indication was given by the Prime Minister of Jamaica as to what would happen, so here we are setting to delve into the accounts and then at the end of the day this committee cannot report. Certainly, I won't be around to sign any report, so isn't that in vain?" Mr. Knight said.

Meeting should continue

However, PAC Chairman Mike Henry and, Opposition member Delroy Chuck were adamant that the meeting should continue.

But Mr. Knight insisted that Mr. Henry did not understand his argument, and explained that the current committee was required to give a report, and that the life of the committee was at an end when Parliament dissolved. He also requested a legal opinion from the Attorney-General on the matter.

Mr. Henry then responded that he would not ask the Attorney-General but would seek the advice of the Clerk of the House, Heather Cooke, who confirmed that when Parliament is dissolved for the general election, the issues discussed at the meetings would not be carried over to the new Parliament.

Latecomer Delroy Chuck, who was not aware of what was discussed earlier, said that the people's business was being put on hold.

Mr. Junior, however, interjected and blamed the Opposition for the predicament that the committee had found itself in. He said the Opposition had intentionally dragged out the Sandals Whitehouse probe for nine months and, as a result, the committee was not able to take the Auditor General's report.

"You and the team behind me were delaying the Sandals Whitehouse report," he accused. "Over and over we had the same questions being asked, the same documents being asked to be produced and we are now at a stage where this committee is not going to be able to report once Parliament is dissolved."

The matter was then put to a vote where four Government members voted in favour of ending the meeting against two opposition members.