August 28, 2020
WATCH: Imbert Disagrees With View That Parliamentarians Don’t Take Their Jobs Seriously
In what appears to be a reference to a statement made by President Paula-Mae Weekes during the opening ceremony for the 12th session of Parliament on Friday morning, Diego Martin North East MP, Colm Imbert, says he does not agree with the view that Parliamentarians have dropped the ball in executing their roles.
President Weekes used her speech to urge MPS and Senators to respect the importance of their positions.
“The general complaint is that after an election, constituents only see their Members of Parliament in the lead up to the next election. When canvassing for votes, you are omnipresent, all ears and full of concern for their plight but once you win your seat you become remote, busy, and unavailable to your constituents,” President Weeekes said.
She said however challenging the process, members of the public expect their leaders to remain alert in order to actively defend their interests.
“Parliamentary debates can sometimes be long and tedious but that does not give carte blanche to members to become disengaged from the process. How many times has the public been witness to members who were nodding off, engrossed in their phones or otherwise showing no interest in the ongoing debate?” she asked.
See Mr. Imbert’s statement below: