Prime Minister Perry Christie
By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie wants serious reforms when it comes to the overall operation of parliamentary procedures.
Yesterday, Mr Christie told members of parliament and visiting international dignitaries that the time was now to incorporate certain additional elements in an effort to enhance and deepen democracy throughout parliament.
Mr Christie gave his recommendations as the Post Election Seminar for the Bahamas Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association got underway at the Atlantis resort.
Among the suggestions, Mr Christie said there should be a careful review of Parliamentary Rules and
Standing Orders in line with the changing nature of society and the growing modernity in media, communications and technology.
He also proposed the establishment of additional select committees to cover areas, including Foreign Affairs and Trade, Law and Justice; Business and Commerce, Education and Science, the Environment and Government Administration,
“More effort and emphasis needs to be placed on our system of Select Committees,” he said, “this is a key element of reform to this end I would encourage the establishment of additional permanent Select Committees. In some instances, these permanent committees might be joint House and Senate committees as is the practice in some Commonwealth jurisdictions.
“The government will make a commitment to the provision of office accommodation in the next few years from which Members could work and do proper research. This would be different and serve a different scope from the present arrangements for constituency offices.
“(Also) frequent exchanges and visitation with fellow parliamentarians around the world. There is a lot going on in terms of practices and standards relating to parliaments in other jurisdictions and we can return home with new ideas which can make its ways into our current practices and knowledge base.”
Mr Christie said the idea was to foster a greater accountability, transparency and a deeper understanding of the workings of Government.
The two-day meeting at the Beach Towers, Atlantis Resort ends today.
Comments
GrassRoot 10 years ago
seems PM is losing his executive platinum status with AA. time to rack up miles again by have frequent visitation with fellow parliamentarians around the world (like New Zealand, or the Great Country of Antarctica).
sheeprunner12 10 years ago
The only reforms we need are: Put in an Office of the Ombudsman to monitor the activities of the Cabinet ministers.............. like Shane, V.Alfred, Fred and himself; Make the Public Accounts Committee useful............. as it is now, it is toothless; Make the MPs more accountable to their constituents........... give us the power to recall them. ALL MPs including the Prime Minister are elected to work for the people........ not party. And while I am at it..................... abolish political parties. Let all MPs be independent. OR lets have proportional representation like in Israel or Tanzania. Lets go modern....... dont just build new buildings Perry!!!!!!!!
TheMadHatter 10 years ago
As strange as it may sound, we need MORE MPs. 40-ish is simply not enough to represent the people and get the job done.
People are upset simply because the work is not getting done. We should have 100 MPs.
The power of recall should also be put in place for all MPs except the PM and Deputy PM. Note that these can be removed as PM or DPM by their Party holding a vote of no-confidence and writing a letter to the Governor General informing him of their choice for new PM. This can be done at any time.
If the PM were so terrible that this was done, it is likely that after becoming an ordinary MP the people may choose to the do a recall. But I do not believe the people should have the power to recall the PM while he has the support of his party. They can however start to recall the other MPs until there is enough change that the remaining (and new) MPs do a vote of no-confidence.
TheMadHatter
GQ 10 years ago
Perry Christie is a good talker and a poor ass doer. He impresses people who do not know what a failure he has been in each of his terms as PM but Bahamians know better.
When will we ever learn?
sheeprunner12 10 years ago
I agree GQ. A vote of no confidence in Parliament is almost impossible in the party syatem we have today.............. too many MPs are indebt to the PM.
By the way............... the Office of Deputy Prime Minister does not exist in the Constitution. So we shouldnt be wasting money on a position that doesnt legally exist.
IGNORANCE IS A SERIOUS THING
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