The Opposition United National Congress has plainly informed government, through its Senator Wade Mark, that it will not support any legislation brought to the Parliament if government does not agree to withdraw the amendments to the recently passed Procurement legislation. 

“In the amendment to the parent legislation, which was recently debated and passed, the Rowley-led government literally gutted and destroyed the efficacy of Act No.1 of 2015, and in the process literally legalised thievery, banditry and naked and wholesale corruption,” Mark alleged during a press briefing held on Sunday.

“Until they do so, (withdraw the amendment) the United National Congress will not be supporting any legislation that they bring to the parliament…We will not cooperate,” Mark stated.

Government was able to have the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property (Amendment) Bill 2020 passed in the Senate on December 8, with Independent Senator Dr Maria Dillon-Remy tipping the scale to give the bill the sufficient number of votes it needed. 

Fellow Opposition Senator, Jearlean John at the time criticized the Independent Senator’s support of the bill, saying: “We can’t be complaining about something and when there is the opportunity to do something about it and when you have the power do something, when the moment calls, you cannot then not do something…”

A subsequent motion of contempt was brought by fellow Independent Senator, Paul Richards, who called on John to be brought before a Parliamentary Privileges Committee for compromising the public’s perception about the integrity of the Independent bench in the Senate. 

That motion was denied, however, after Senate President Christine Kangaloo accepted John’s apology in the Senate on December 15. 

“Madame President, there were very strong public statements and severe criticism of the bill” John said in her apology, as she continued: “I along with my Opposition colleagues joined this heightened public concern about the bill. It is in this context and immediately following the debate that I made some remarks. I advise that at no time did I mean any harm or ill-will or disrespect to any Independent Senator and by extension the Senate,” John said.