Government Minister, Fitzgerald Hinds did not say anything unparliamentary to cause Oropouche MP Dr Roodal Moonilal to tell him in Parliament to “hush his stink mouth” during the Budget debate and there is no need to go further with the matter.
This was the response of Communications Minister Maxie Cuffie when asked by the media at yesterday’s post-Cabinet press conference if he felt Hinds was as equally guilty as Moonilal in using improper language in Parliament.
United National Congress chairman Khadijah Ameen said on Wednesday that Hinds provoked Moonilal by taunting him with statements like: “That’s Kamla leg I see without stockings,” and “When I see allyuh I feel to vomit.”
Cuffie said Moonilal’s comment was brought to the attention of the Speaker Brigid Annisette-George by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley, Leader of Government Business in the House, Camille Robinson-Regis, and other PNM MPs. The UNC did not report the matter to the Speaker, he said.
Pressed as to whether he, personally, felt Hinds should apologise, Cuffie said he could not recall what Hinds said.
What he did know, however, was that Hinds did not say anything to provoke such a reaction from Moonilal, he said.
“I don’t think there is any need to go further with it. He did not say anything unparliamentary,” he added.
Moonilal’s comment caused outrage among some who called for parliamentarians to conduct themselves properly in office. He subsequently withdrew the statement and apologised.
Hinds has not denied making the comments.
Asked about the code of conduct for parliamentarians which the PNM, on the campaign trail, promised to bring if they got into government, Cuffie said they could not interfere with Parliament which had its own rules.
He said the PNM could only bring a code of conduct for its own MPs.
By-elections on Dec 7
He also announced that by-elections for two local government seats would be held on December 7.
Tunapuna MP Esmond Forde and Arima MP Anthony Garcia will resign their posts as councillors for their seats in their areas and elections will be held to install replacements.
In a separate matter, Cuffie said the Government was seeking to cut travel costs relating to government trips abroad.
He said the President, judges, ministers and permanent secretaries would travel first class while others accompanying them would travel economy.
Members of the media will not be included in government trips, he said.
He also announced that the Government was seeking to bring about closer collaboration between Venezuela and T&T.
Venezuelan officials already visited T&T and Government officials plan to visit that country.
Cuffie said the effort was a revamping of a plan initiated under the former National Alliance for Reconstruction government and would include cultural exchanges.