In her first appearance in the Senate in more than eight months, a fiery Lucille Moe today returned and chided “the powers that be” for not allowing senators to work remotely in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senator Moe’s passionate delivery lasted over 10 minutes and took up the majority of her contribution to the debate on a resolution to vest the former Glendairy Prison to the Barbados Tourism Marketing Investment Inc for tourism development.
Senator Moe was last present in the Chamber in December 2020. Her absence had prompted calls from Opposition Senator Caswell Franklyn for her seat to be vacated as she had been away for longer than the six months permitted by the Constitution.
On her return, Moe, the former Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Public Affairs wasted no time in heaping criticism on those who continue to force senators to continue to meet at the Worthing Corporate Centre.
She queried why members of Parliament in the Lower House were allowed to meet virtually while senators were not given that option especially since the technology was already available at the location to allow for a virtual sitting.
“As much as I agree with this vesting of this property I am still not sure why we are all here in this environment today and with people taking off their masks to speak because I am not aware that is the science. Perhaps it has changed, who knows, because things do change day to day. But what I do know is that technology is being used in order for people to be able to do their business virtually.
“We see it all the time, we see it in other Parliaments. As a matter of fact, the Parliament of Barbados uses the technology for elected members to be able to participate in the House, so that all of the elected members do not have to come together in the same room and space in order to conduct the business of the people, but not so for the Senate,” Moe said to loud support.
“No amendment or adjustment has been made to allow us as people to be able to conduct our business unless we come here in person. We must be here in person for this to happen.”
Moe said she had heard several theories as to why senators were still meeting face-to-face and lamented the fact that 21 senators along with other staff members were required to attend each sitting.
“Some people are saying that the reason why senators must come in person and not elected members is because senators only make $1479.07 a month. There are chairmen of boards that make more than that but they’re not being asked to come here in this particular environment.
“Some people theorize that it is to stop certain people from being in the Senate, so if you can’t meet virtually then they can’t come and they cannot participate. I don’t know if that’s true, that’s just a theory,” Moe explained.
“Some other people say the lives of senators are not as important because if something happens to a senator or you want to get rid of them, you just get rid of them and appoint someone else and put them in the chair, but not so for an elected member because for an elected member you have to go for a by-election.”
While Moe made it clear she fully supported vaccinations, she maintained there was no need to take unnecessary risks.
She argued it was about protecting the lives of Barbadians from a virus that had already killed millions of people worldwide.
Moe contended that “all lives mattered”.
“I know there are people who are vaccinated and who are not vaccinated and that is their choice. I personally, firmly believe in vaccination and I want to say that in here and I would encourage any and everyone that has not been vaccinated to do so,” she stressed.
“But having said that, we still note there is a risk. Now would you, if you heard gunfire, run out into the middle of the street? I don’t think so. So why risk the health and safety and security of people where it is not necessary?”
(randybennett@barbadostoday.bb)
