Many MPs ignoring nation’s business

Absenteeism, poor attendance hit Parliament

BY CASSANDRA BRENTON Associate Editor icu@jamaicaobserver.com

Sunday, August 08, 2010

CRUCIAL aspects of the nation's business are being ignored because many members of parliament (MPs) either skip important committee meetings or barely attend.

In fact, a few MPs appointed to sit on some of these committees do not even bother to show up for the sittings, according to attendance records for up to June 2010 which were obtained by the Sunday Observer from Parliament.

Parliamentary committees are appointed to conduct inquiries into specific matters and submit reports and recommendations for the House to debate, as a precursor to critical legislation.

"Some members have been absent so many times it is hard to remember when they were present," snapped a frustrated Dr Fenton Ferguson, the MP for Eastern St Thomas who chairs the Human Resources and Social Development Committee. He had just waited for an hour to get a quorum to start the meeting looking at inner-city renewal.

The worst committees affected include the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC), and the Ethics Committee, among others. The attendance records show whether MPs had sent apologies or were away on government business.

Robert Montague, the MP for Western St Mary, for example, has not attended any of the six sittings of the PAC between May 4 and June 29, nor any of the five meetings of the PAAC between April 21 and June 16.

According to the records, the outspoken MP did not send apologies for missing any of the combined 11 meetings of those committees.

Additionally, Montague was absent from the single sitting of the Ethics Committee on June 16; absent from the sole meeting of the Infrastructure and Physical Development Committee on June 10 (sent an apology); and absent from the two meetings of the Standing Orders Committee (House) held on June 8 and June 17. He sent an apology only for the first meeting.

When asked why he had missed "quite a few" meetings, Montague responded unapologetically, "A few? I miss a whole heap of meetings... I spend the time in my constituency. Is two constituency office mi have," he told the Sunday Observer, declining to comment further.

Montague is in good company. Member of Parliament for North East St Catherine, Desmond Gregory Mair did not attend any of the six meetings of the PAC. He sent an apology for missing only the first meeting on May 4. Three meetings were held in May and three in June. Mair was also absent from all five sittings of the PAAC.

Ian Hayles of Western Hanover attended one PAC committee meeting for that period, and did not send an apology for his absence. He also failed to attend any sitting of the PAAC.

Earnest Smith of South West St Ann did not attend any PAAC, while D K Duncan of East Hanover and Tarn Peralto of South East St Mary attended only one such meeting (no apologies). Phillip Paulwell of East Kingston and Port Royal attended two PAAC meetings, apologising for his absence from one.

Additionally, five of the nine members on the Ethics Committee -- Delroy Chuck (committee chairman), Joseph Hibbert, Fitz Jackson, Sharon Hay-Webster and Dr Morais Guy -- carried on with the nation's business on June 16 in the absence of the other four members: Derrick Smith, Robert Montague, Earnest Smith and Peter Phillips. No apologies were sent.

The attendance records for a number of other committees were just as telling, with MPs missing meetings, or sittings being cancelled in the absence of a quorum.

For example, a Joint Select Committee to consider and report to Parliament on a number of reports affecting high-profile entities, such as the Contractor General's Department, the Public Defender, the Political Ombudsman, the Corruption (prevention) Commission, the Integrity Commission and the Director of Public Prosecutions, was cancelled on June 24. Additionally, only four of the 15 people on the Joint Select Committee on the Bill Shortly Entitled "The Protected Disclosure Act 2010" attended the meeting on June 24. They were Dorothy Lightbourne (chairman), Senator Kamina Johnson, Michael Stern and Senator Warren Newby.

Again, only four MPs -- Marisa Dalrymple Philibert (chairman), Franklyn Witter, Fitz Jackson and Ronald Thwaites -- put in an appearance on April 14 for the single meeting of the Regulations Committee (House). The other seven were no-shows.

Commenting on the level of absenteeism and lateness plaguing his committee, Dr Ferguson declared: "Both the Opposition and the Government must make a decision to change members just based on lack of attendance... Some have only made a few appearances since they were named by the parties, and it is something that I will have to address with the relevant individuals from the parties."

It is also not unusual for committee meetings to be cancelled because not enough MPs turn up, inconveniencing members of the public and private sectors invited to make presentations before them.

Member of Parliament Dr Morais Guy argued that this should not be allowed to continue, pointing out that not only was this embarrassing, but that the man-hours lost was not good for the productive sector.

Guy, who sits on the PAAC, the PAC, the Ethics Committee of the House and the Joint Select Committee on The Bill Shortly Entitled The Protected Disclosure Act 2010, better known as the Whistleblower legislation, was speaking generally.

"I find it disconcerting that members don't turn up for meetings," he said. "I abhor lateness and I get very antsy when people are late because one, it delays your ability to address the nation's problems.

"Secondly, you have public servants sitting outside waiting to take part in the meetings, and then we as parliamentarians stroll in any time we find convenient to us; plus, there is so much man-hours lost," he argued, suggesting that it was time to "dismiss this Jamaican time notion".

"It is critical that we respect the time that the meetings are set for," insisted Guy who, like Ferguson, has a good attendance record at these meetings.

For PAAC chairman Dr Wykeham McNeil, the country's business must go on, even if it's like Guy indicated, operating on "Jamaican time".

"We have some members that do not attend, but for the most part we have a fairly good attendance," McNeil said, adding: "We have a set of persons who come almost religiously."

"We are set to begin at 10:00, and we always have a quorum (of three) by 10:30; so we are on time with our thing and so from that point of view we have not been doing too badly," said Dr McNeil who has a perfect attendance record.

For his part, MP Fitz Jackson of South St Catherine, who also has a good attendance record at these meetings, urged his colleagues to "re-assess" their willingness to serve on committees.

"I maintain that first and foremost, as MPs elected to this House, we have to do the work that is required in the House because that is how we impact on the country's life and our constituents' lives -- through the decisions which are made by the Parliament and the committees," he said. "The committees are really where the work is done."

Guy agreed, noting that if a member is nominated to sit on a committee, then he or she has a responsibility to the Parliament and that committee.

"As parliamentarians, we have a responsibility, and once you are interested in that role you are obliged to attend meetings," said Guy.

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Many MPs ignoring nation’s business