THIS year’s sectoral debate, which starts May 30, promises to be one of the most exciting in recent years.

The sectoral debate gives each member of the House of Representatives – most notably back-benchers, but also Cabinet and junior ministers who did not get an opportunity to speak in the budget debate – their best opportunity each year to address problems and developments in their constituencies, as well as to speak on national issues affecting constituents.

This year’s debate is suspected to be on the eve of the next general election and both sides of the House of Representatives are expected to pull out all stops to score points as a prelude to the election campaign.

The schedule for May 30 has an interesting line-up of; Leader of the House and Minister of National Security, Dr Peter Phillips (PNP-East Central St Andrew), who will open the discussions; opposition spokesman on justice, Delroy Chuck (JLP-North East St Andrew), as well as Verna Parchment (PNP-North West St Ann) who recently crossed the floor to join the majority People’s National Party.

The debate will last nearly two months and is scheduled to close on July 25.

Horne to keep Senate seat

Independent senator, Norman Horne, has decided to remain in the Senate, at least for now.

RJR radio news had reported on April 5 that Horne had finally decided to resign from the Senate to give the Jamaica Labour Party the opportunity to nominate a replacement prior to the next general election.

With no denial forthcoming from Horne, it was expected that he would have handed in his resignation on Friday.

But instead, the independent senator objected to being left off the Senate committees which were re-appointed on Friday and was eventually appointed to two of them.

Horne said he had been looking forward to a very challenging and productive Senate year and objected and demanded inclusion in the committees.

“I object strongly to the appointment of committees. I believe that it is clearly lacking in spirit. I am the only senator who has not been named to a committee,” he said.

Senator Anthony Johnson, Leader of Opposition Business, was apologetic. He said he could not understand why Horne had been omitted.

Johnson said that he had informed the new Leader of Government Business, Senator AJ Nicholson, that the only change to be made from the JLP’s side, involved Senator Arthur Williams (who was appointed to several committees).

Nicholson, Jamaica’s attorney general and justice minister, was named Senate leader after his colleague Burchell Whiteman resigned his seat as a precursor to his pending final departure from politics.

Johnson said he thought Horne ought to be placed on a committee and he apologised to Senator Horne, in case he was “the person who was delinquent in this case.”

He asked that Horne indicate which committee he wished to serve on.

Government Senator Trevor Munroe sided with Horne, saying he was glad that the spirit of statesmanship had prevailed.

Nicholson then announced that Horne was appointed to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms Constitutional Amendment Committee and the Proceeds of Crime Committee.

Horne, a businessman and former vice president of the JLP’s professional arm, Generation 2000 (G2K), was sworn in September 2003 as a JLP member of the Senate.

He replaced current Mayor of Kingston, Desmond McKenzie, who resigned from the Senate to become mayor.

Horne was the unsuccessful JLP parliamentary candidate in Central Manchester in 2002. His relationship with the party soured after the resignation of Edward Seaga, when he supported Pearnel Charles’ candidacy for the leadership of the party against Bruce Golding.

After Golding was elected leader, Horne resigned from the JLP but refused to leave the Senate.

With additional contributions by Senior Writer Lloyd Williams