UNC demonstrated best Westminster practise
almost 4 years in TT News day
DR KIRK MEIGHOO
Guest Column
THE UNC party commends its Parliamentarians for their spirited behaviour on Thursday October 21, during the historic, extraordinary sitting. Trinidad and Tobago needs more behaviour like this, not less, when our rights are being trampled upon.
It is preposterous that people in this country considered the vigorous defence of our Republic as “bad behaviour.” This includes two so-called Independent Senators, Anthony Vieira and Paul Richards, who crossed the line by openly, definitely and improperly descending into the political arena.
These two unelected senators attacked Opposition parliamentarians in the press, having the nerve to accuse the Opposition of being disrespectful and bringing the entire Parliament into disrepute. What do they think parliamentary democracy is?
These so-called independent senators want to play the role of the good colonials in dress-up. They apparently think democracy is a tea party or a march-past.
Would the senators have preferred the Opposition be polite while the rights and freedoms of citizens were being violated with impunity? Is this the “good behaviour” they want us to set as examples for our children?
Defending democracy from Government tyranny has always been a passionate, contentious, abrasive affair. Far from being “bad behaviour,” the extraordinary sitting saw the best behaviour of Opposition Parliamentarians defending democracy. Indeed, the behaviour of the Opposition was quite mild compared to parliaments around the world.
These so-called independent senators and commentators obviously have no idea how MPs in the “Mother of Parliaments” in the UK behave when the executive abuses its authority, or is perceived to have abused its authority.
Conscientious Opposition MPs understand their role, and deal with Government abuse and tyranny themselves, right then and there, where and when it occurs. It is entirely within parliamentary tradition for MPs to be loudly passionate in such situations. Indeed, in the British tradition, Parliament is radical – most famously, and most extremely, in 1649, when Parliament captured King Charles I and executed him.
Up to today, this vigorous British parliamentary tradition can be easily checked on YouTube and many other websites. For example, the 2019 protest by British Opposition MPs against the unusual five-week prorogation of Parliament was a very rowdy affair (see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNuN-FRKcCI ).
It far exceeded anything that occurred on October 21 in the Red House.
British Opposition MPs not only shouted down the Speaker and Black Rod (the Sergeant-at-Arms), they disrupted proceedings, rushed the Speaker’s chair, held up sheets of paper with protest slogans written on them, engaged in shouting matches with the Speaker, and one of them appeared to actually physically hold the Speaker.
After the contentious announcement was finally concluded amidst the protest, the Speaker rose to leave the Chamber in procession. Opposition MPs refused to get up to leave with the rest. Instead, they all noisily shouted at the Speaker on his way out, “Shame on you!” while remaining seated in the Parliament in protest.
Importantly, the Opposition MPs were correct in their objection to the UK Government’s prorogation. After the illegal prorogation (which the Government had maintained was lawful), the Opposition took the matter to the Court.
The Opposition won, and the Parliament was ordered to reconvene. The illegal prorogation was expunged from the record, and business continued as if no prorogation ever happened.
This vigorous action is how the legislature historically keeps the executive in check in the Westminster model. The notion that Parliament is primarily a place for polite debate is a colonial fiction for children and subject peoples.
The only way to defend our freedom from tyranny is through robust vigilance. Parliamentary protest is a well-worn tradition that needs to be followed much more in Trinidad and Tobago, not less.
To mature as a democratic Republic, we need to understand what real bad behaviour is.
It is not when our tyrants and oppressors tell us we are rude. It is their own tyranny and oppression that is bad behaviour: the Speaker disallowing debate, the microphones of Opposition MPs being muted, the Speaker cheating for the Government and President by illegally creating guidelines and disallowing a debate on the Opposition Leader’s motion.
It is bad behaviour to cover up misbehaviour in public office and criticise those who are exposing it. This is the bad behaviour that should be condemned. Scratch beneath the surface of this so-called elite and you see the real bad behaviour.
Thankfully, the UNC parliamentarians did not simply let PNM abuse pass. The Opposition will now take legal action against the Speaker. The PNM and their agents will not stop us. We continue on our October Revolution, and call on all patriots to join us.
Dr Kirk Meighoo is the public relations officer for the United National Congress (UNC).
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