While several Independent Senators didn’t attend yesterday’s meeting with the Attorney General on the Strategic Services Agency (SSA) Bill, the Opposition UNC has reluctantly agreed to meet with the AG on the bill this morning.
This, as Senators prepared to debate the controversial bill this afternoon where several Independents are expected to air their views on it.
In debate last Tuesday, Independent Senators Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir and Melissa Ramkissoon rejected the bill. The Opposition, also panning the proposed law, cited concerns about the SSA director being a political appointee, called for amendments to allow an independent oversight body to supervise the SSA and urged deeper examination by a Parliament select committee.
Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi then invited Opposition and Independent Senators to separate meetings with experts on the bill ahead of today’s debate.
The Independents were asked to meet the AG at 4 pm yesterday. But the Opposition took issue with being relegated to a meeting at 11.30 am today (two hours before debate on the Bill). The Opposition had threatened to “storm” yesterday’s meeting with the Independents at Tower D, Parliament office.
Al-Rawi wrote both Independent and Opposition benches on Sunday, noting that the UNC Government had held in-camera sessions with Independent members on bills, claimed the PNM wasn’t invited and explaining why separate meetings were being held.
T&T Guardian checks with Independent Senators yesterday confirmed that Senators Hugh Roach and Stephen Creese had been scheduled to attend yesterday’s 4 pm meeting.
Creese said he wanted to hear what was being proposed. He wondered if the issues the AG wanted to address hinged on national security and couldn’t be discussed in today’s public debate.
“Right now I’m still neutral on the bill,” Creese said prior to the meeting.
No-shows
Prior to the meeting four of the nine Independents told T&T Guardian they could not attend for various reasons.
Independent Senator Sophia Chote said she was not attending the AG’s meeting and had set out her reasons in an email to Al-Rawi. She said it was not appropriate to make those public but her thoughts would be clear on the overall matter - bill included - when she speaks in debate, likely today.
Independent Taurel Shrikissoon said he had a prior engagement and emailed the AG that he was unable to make it yesterday. He said he would give his presentation in the Senate today. Independent Jennifer Raffoul, also absent, is scheduled to speak in today’s debate.
Independent Senator David Small, speaking to T&T Guardian en route to the airport, said he was bound for an overseas meeting and had missed last week’s debate also due to a Washington meeting. Small said while he wasn’t against anti-crime mechanisms, he thought the bill was too wide and needed refocussing.
“I am not greatly perturbed but there are a couple issues we need to sharpen. It needs a second look. Divergence of view is healthy democracy. Perhaps in the meetings, things will be explained. We have to try to work out as many flaws as we can for T&T,” he added, suggesting scrutiny by a special committee. Independent Paul Richard was unavailable.
At a media briefing, at the Parliament yesterday, members of the Opposition explained why they would attend today’s meeting.
“While our senators are extremely displeased by your handling of this matter, we are left with little or no choice but to accept your invitation to attend a meeting... at 11.30 am (today).”
The Opposition’s letter, detailing its displeasure at Al-Rawi’s actions, called on Government to delay debate for at least a week for its members to caucus on matters raised in the meeting.
UNC slam process
UNC’s Gerald Ramdeen said the AG’s meeting with the Independents flies in the face of criticisms his (AG’s) leader Keith Rowley made in April 2013 when he complained about the then People’s Partnership government holding meetings with Independents on legislation.
Ramdeen said mistakes were made in the past and the UNC intended to do the right thing. “The PNM said we must work together but this isn’t working together,” he added.
UNC’s Wade Mark said the AG’s brief meeting with the Opposition today demonstrated contempt for the Opposition.
Al-Rawi, during a break in the meeting with those Independents who attended yesterday’s meeting, said “several” came. He declined to say who.
He said the meeting wasn’t a lobby but involved national security officials clarifying issues. He said it was advisable to separate the Independents and Opposition since the former didn’t operate under a “whip’ (leader) but the Opposition did.
He said the UNC forgot the PP had held meetings with Independents on bills. Al-Rawi also said Rowley’s April 2013 remarks on “secret” meetings with Independents was in the context of the then PNM Opposition not being invited those meetings.
On whether the Government was giving the Opposition too short a time for today’s meeting, he said the Opposition had already said it wouldn’t support the bill. He said the Opposition’s amendments were being studied.