Senate back in session

Senate resumed on Wednesday for the first time since the formation of the new administration, albeit for about 13 minutes, with 14 members present.

The session was convened two days after the High Court ruled that the Upper House can lawfully meet with the 18 appointed members, although the total make-up under the Constitution is 21.

Former Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite failed in his attempt to get the court to declare that the Senate and, by extension, Parliament, were not properly constituted because all 21 members of the Upper House were not appointed after the January general elections.

Following Monday’s ruling by Justice Cicely Chase that the Senate was free to meet with 11 Government senators and seven independent senators appointed by President Dame Sandra Mason, the Upper House met briefly before adjourning until Friday.

President of the Senate Reginald Farley informed that independent Senator Andrew Mallalieu was absent from the sitting because he was attending to another obligation related to the World Motor Sport Federation, of which he is a member.

“That is an obligation which he undertook long before joining the Senate. It is important for our sports administrators to represent Barbados in other areas, and he has already outlined some dates on which he will not be able to attend Senate if [it is] held on those dates and this date is one of them, and he sends his excuses,” Farley reported.

Two other independent senators and one Government senator were also absent.

Declaring that “we are home again”, Farley welcomed the Senators to the Chamber, saying he looked forward to robust sessions, and thanked the management and Clerk of Parliament, engineers and all those who were instrumental in the refurbishment of the Parliament buildings.

The Senate was then adjourned until Friday, at which time debate should start on the Constitution Amendment Bill – which was passed in the House of Assembly to facilitate the appointment of individuals as young as 18 years old to the Senate, and the appointment of two opposition senators in a situation where there are no opposition Members of Parliament – as well as the Appropriation Bill.

Prime Minister Mia Mottley has already signalled her intention to make 18-year-old Barbadian scholar Khaleel Kothdiwala a senator and expressed hope that as the party with the second-highest number of votes in the last general election, the Democratic Labour Party would accept the offer of two Senate seats.
(MM)