The Opposition is seeking to have Prime Minister Keith Rowley referred to parliament’s Privileges Committee over remarks he made about Independent senators at a May 25 media briefing.
Opposition Senator Wayne Sturge made the request to the Senate President yesterday following the tea break. Senate President Christine Kangaloo was to rule on it.
Sturge based his request on remarks by Rowley at a post-Cabinet media briefing when, in replying to media queries, he spoke about the recent passage of the Strategic Services Agency bill and alluded to Independent senators.
Taking issue with the PM’s comments, Sturge said: “The question arises whether the Prime Minister’s reflections in his statements of 25th May amount to a breach of the privilege of freedom of speech and/or are contempts of this Senate. I therefore request that the matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges.”
Among remarks, Sturge noted, the PM accused independents of “organising themselves as a political party in the Parliament to obstruct the government's progress”; that a member/s had engaged in unsuccessful “nefarious actions”; and that a member/s was/were “hell-bent on obstructing our fight against the criminal element.”
Sturge claimed Rowley also said Independent members were “ill-informed” and a member/s was/were “fishing for all kinds of issues to raise on this matter.”
On several occasions, Sturge said, Rowley referred to members as “obstructionists” and/or “obstructing” the Government and he also accused the Opposition of unsuccessfully attempting to obstruct the Government.
Sturge claimed the PM imputed that members’ conduct amounted to attempts to distract the Government and that members had attempted to “mislead” the public.
He raised the issue of constructive contempt of members, which he said included reflections on the House and upon members, even though the particular individuals aren’t named or otherwise indicated.
He said constructive contempt also includes molestation.
“While my colleagues on the Independent Bench may confer on procedural matters ... they constitutionally hold no collective conscience; each Independent senator speaks and votes according to his/her own volition.
“The allegation therefore of Independent senators ‘organising themselves as a political party in the Parliament to obstruct the government’s progress’ most certainly reflects on the character and conduct of members in such a manner that may bring this Senate into odium and ridicule,” Sturge offered.
“The Prime Minister also reflects upon the constitutional presence and conduct of members in this House and that may in itself be a contempt with respect to the constitutional role/conduct of members in our parliamentary democracy.
“In the context in which the statements were made, it is clear the conduct of a member and/or members of this House was being reflected upon.
“Indeed, given the question (in the May 25 media briefing) that the Prime Minster was responding to, it’s clear part of his response was in respect of words spoken in the Senate (which therefore had the protection of the privilege of freedom of speech) by Senator (Taurel) Shrikissoon.”