Temporary Opposition Senator Gerald Ramdeen has been referred to the Senate’s Privileges Committee over remarks he made about temporary Independent Senator Justin Junkere recently.
Leader of the Government Senate bench, Franklin Khan, at yesterday’s Senate session asked for Ramdeen to be sent before the Privileges team. He noted Ramdeen’s remarks of May 11 about Junkere, who had voted with Government in support of the controversial Strategic Services Amendment Bill.
Khan claimed Ramdeen committed contempt of the Senate by making statements which were intended to intimidate and may have intimidated Junkere in the conduct of his work as a senator.
He also said Ramdeen’s remarks reflected on the character and conduct of Junkere “in such a manner that brought this Senate into ridicule and odium.”
He said that included seeking, via the media and the Integrity Commission, to impeach Junkere in relation to his participation in Senate proceedings and making entreaties to the President to censure Junkere for his choice of vote in the debate.
Senate President Christine Kangaloo then said a prima facie case had been made out and referred the matter to the Privileges Committee.
Among remarks Khan claimed Ramdeen alleged Junkere was employed by the Attorney General’s office since 2015.
Khan said an action becomes improper where it became an attempt to intimidate or to attack a member on the account of how he voted or on account of what he said in this place.
“If this Senate is to operate effectively, its members must be able to speak, vote and act freely without intimidation or the threat of intimidation, coercion or the threat of coercion,” Khan said.
“If the statements attributed to him (Ramdeen) are true... to ignore such conduct will signal to all my colleagues on the Independent bench and every senator here that we don’t possess those sacred rights of freedom of speech and freedom to vote.
“It’s for these reasons Mr Ramdeen’s alleged reflections upon then Senator Junkere’s participation in the Senate proceedings amount to actions intended to molest, impeach and intimidate (Junkere).”
Ramdeen didn’t immediately answer calls yesterday but Opposition Senate bench leader Wade Mark, a member of the Senate’s Privileges team, said he was a bit surprised by the motion.
He said it was the first time he had seen Government bring a privileges motion concerning an Independent member. He noted Parliament recesses next month for the summer break.
Independent bench elder, Senator Dr Dhanayshar Mahabir, said since the issue involved an Independent Senator, one would have expected it would have emanated from the independent bench but the latter hadn’t been minded to bring any such motion.
He said he had been criticised many times in and out of Parliament and had never taken action on it. He said the Independent bench was represented on the Privileges team by Paul Richards.
He said the President only appoints Independents but was insulated from their comment, for which they have to take responsibility.
Junkere had been appointed to act in the absence of Independent David Small on two occasions this month, before and during the SSA Bill debate.