The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

THE Senate yesterday passed a resolution for the creation of a standing committee of Parliament to allow for the independent handling, administration and management of both chambers.

As he moved the resolution, Economic Affairs Minister Michael Halkitis said a key reason for the resolution was that Parliament being an equal branch of government should have control over its own budget and management of its affairs.

The Cabinet Office, prior to the resolution, has administered Parliament’s budget.

It was something that former House Speaker Halson Moultrie took issue with and repeatedly called for Parliament to act independently.

“A large part of what brings us here is the feeling and the belief that Parliament being an equal branch of government, the legislature being an equal branch of government, should have control over its own budget and the management of its affairs,” Mr Halkitis said. “Every year a budget is voted for the House of Assembly and for the Senate. It’s ventilated in public. It’s voted on and approved, but in actual practice it is administered by the Cabinet Office and that has been, that reality to have a head in the national budget that voted on and approved, but the administration of it by the Cabinet Office has caused again some consternation and that consternation has been quite public.

“In recent years, particularly in the last term when we had a Speaker who had become very, very vocal in that area and some would even say that his strong feelings and his commitment to that independence is what has brought us to an early poll and an early change of administration.

“So, that is something for the committee to consider, Madam President. How does the Parliament exercise management and control of their budgets?

“So, Madam President, I think key and part of the genesis of this entire resolution is the principle that Parliament, inclusive of the House of Assembly and the Senate, are being independent (and) be allowed for the administration for their own budget so that they can be more nimble and move more quickly in securing the goods and services they require to deliver on their responsibilities.”

The debate also saw senators on both sides agree that the physical state of Parliament needed upgrades to ensure the efficiency of all representatives.