The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

THE Davis administration was forced to replace Senator Keenan Johnson as Vice-President of the Senate yesterday after the Free National Movement accused it of breaching the Constitution by electing him to the post despite his appointment as a parliamentary secretary.

Senator Ja’Ann Major was elected Vice-President of the Senate after Opposition Senate Leader Elsworth Johnson said Mr Johnson’s election was “void ab initio”, meaning invalid from the outset, because Article 44 of the Constitution bars a parliamentary secretary from serving as Vice-President of the Senate.

Mr Johnson had initially been elected vice-president during the Senate’s first sitting. However, shortly afterwards, Mr Johnson issued a statement arguing that the election was unconstitutional because Mr Johnson had already been appointed a parliamentary secretary.

“Should Senator Johnson wish to become Vice President of the Senate, he should advise the Prime Minister to revoke his appointment as Parliamentary Secretary,” Mr Johnson said. “The honour and integrity of the Senate and Parliament must not compromised in our democracy.”

Following the FNM’s statement, the government announced that Senator Major had instead been elected to the post.

The development came days after Mr Johnson was sworn in as parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.

At the same ceremony on Tuesday, Senator Clint Watson was also sworn in as parliamentary secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, prompting separate questions about his continued role as general manager of ZNS Broadcasting Corporation.

Director of Communications in the Office of the Prime Minister Latrae Rahming told The Tribune yesterday that Mr Watson will step down as ZNS general manager.

Former Public Service Minister Brensil Rolle had said Mr Watson’s Senate appointment raised serious questions about whether the Davis administration was bending public service rules for political convenience.

Mr Rolle argued that General Orders prohibit public officers from political affiliation and said Mr Watson should have resigned before taking up his Senate appointment.

Mr Watson, a veteran journalist and former PLP aspirant, declined to clarify his employment status when first questioned after the swearing-in, saying only: “I don’t want to preempt anything, but you’ll all understand it at the end of the week, that’s all I would say, and it’ll be quite clear to you.”

His Senate appointment drew scrutiny because Chapter 9 of General Orders outlines a “code of reserve” for public officers and states that an officer’s personal affairs should not conflict with official duties.