There is a need to review and discuss the Parliament Standing Orders in order to avoid the abusive language and slurs of the past few weeks.
This was the view expressed by social activist Hazel Brown during a telephone interview yesterday.
Brown’s comment came on the heels of an offer from the T&T Association of Psychologists to share skills and professional training with government and political leaders.
The association described the language used in Parliament as “homophobic, prejudicial and abusive.”
During the budget debate several MPs received public criticism after using offensive language.
“I dont know whether training is the solution,” Brown said.
“The people in the Parliament are not stupid. What they need is for more discussion and consensus around the rules and standing orders of the Parliament.”
T&T is not unique when it comes to unbecoming behaviour of MPs in the Lower House.
In several countries, debates sometimes lead to physical confrontations.
Kosovo, a country located in the Balkan region with a population of 1.8 million, saw its opposition disrupt parliament by throwing tear gas in the chamber last week.
Brown said the discussion was happening internationally as to acceptable behaviour in Parliament and T&T could use the opportunity to be a model for others to follow.
She said she believed women in Parliament could make the difference as they were more likely to be agents of change.
The psychologists association said it deplored the recent use of homophobic, prejudicial and abusive language among our political leadership.
“As such, our membership is available to share our skills and professional training with our government and political leaders, in enhancing the leadership and personal competencies required for a twenty-first century progressive, caring, and visionary society.”
The association described the use of ‘picong’ during parliamentary debate as a longstanding cultural tradition.
The association said picong lost its value as insightful, witty banter, when it was used intentionally or unintentionally as a vehicle to perpetuate prejudice, personal insult and debasement.
“The use of language is also a reflection of our understanding of ‘self’ in relation to the ‘other’ in our culturally created socio-political environment. Some even argue that there is no ‘other’ within the human family and we define ourselves and not our target, when we engage in verbal and malicious taunts.”