Speaker gets in procedural muddle over motion
(CNS): The Legislative Assembly's speaker left a motion floating on the floor of the country's parliament on Monday after getting into another procedural muddle. This time, however, her predecessor was in the House to witness the mistake and point out the possible consequences such errors by the current speaker could have as her decisions are subject to judicial review. In accordance with Standing Orders, North Side MLA Ezzard Miller moved a motion to reject a statement by the premier in order to facilitate a debate on its content. But the speaker seemed unsure of the rules and opted to ignore the independent member's motion, which had been seconded by the opposition leader.
Following a statement by McKeeva Bush regarding his latest disagreements with London over the transposition of the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility into local law and the talks with CHEC on the proposed cruise berthing project in George Town, the opposition leader asked the speaker if members could pose a number of questions to the premier about the statement.
Although Mary Lawrence was unaware of the letter from Simmonds on which the premier’s statement was based, even though it was widely published in all the media and sent to most senior government officials at the weekend, she allowed the request for a limited period.
However, after the opposition leader, the PPM representative for Bodden Town and the newly independent member for East End had put the premier on the spot about CHEC, the FFR and the chain of correspondence with the UK, the speaker closed down the questions before the North Side MLA had any opportunity to ask his own.
As a result, Miller moved a motion, in accordance with the parliamentary rule book, for the LA to reject the premier’s statement and force a debate, which, given the importance of the issue the premier was speaking on, would have provided an opportunity for all members in government and opposition alike to have a say and ask the necessary questions.
Unsure of the move by the MLA and in an obvious state of confusion, the speaker said she had already closed down the subject and ordered that the House move onto the next item on the business paper. The speaker seemed unaware that she had to make a decision regarding Miller's motion and could not simply ignore it.
Following the adjournment, the former speaker and Lawrence's immediate predecessor, Edna Moyle, pointed out that the move was a significant mistake. Moyle, who was speaker from 2005 until 2009, explained that it is not possible to have two pieces of business on the floor of the parliamentary chamber at the same time. Moyle said that the speaker had a choice to either allow the debate or to persuade Miller to withdraw his motion.
However, the speaker did neither and told both Miller and the member for East End to sit down as they attempted to point out her error.
“The speaker cannot allow a motion to remain on the floor of the House without addressing it,” Moyle said. “It was wrong for the speaker to instruct the clerk to move the proceedings along without dealing with what was a legitimate motion on the floor as there simply cannot be two pieces of business on the floor at the same time.”
Moyle notedthat the Legislative Assembly was subject to judicial review and such decisions could be challenged in the courts if members felt that their democratic rights were being undermined.
After being shut down yet again, despite his continued efforts to use the country's parliament to probe the actions of government and hold it to account, Miller said that he did not think he would be taking any legal action. “I won't be pursuing such redress but this latest incident just serves to remind us of the incompetence which is associated with every aspect of the current government,” the independent member said.
Throughout the the current parliament, which has been presided over by Lawrence, the first speaker appointed to the post who has neither served nor worked in the Legislative Assembly, the opposition has been at odds with the LA's 'referee', and sometimes even the premier, who appointed her, has disagreed with her decisions.
Both sides have questioned the decisions she has made regarding Standing Orders, which the members have often had to correct. In addition, the opposition has persistently complained about her attempts to curb the debate that takes place in the House.
The speaker’s post is one of the most senior public sector positions in the Cayman Islands and commands a six figure salary. The primary role of the speaker is to facilitate government business while ensuring that backbenchers and the minority members have an opportunity to question the government on its bills and policies. The speaker should rule only on the basis of Cayman’s Legislative Assembly Standing orders and when that rule book is silent on an issue, in accordance with Erskine May, the UK’s parliamentary handbook.
Category: Politics
Perhaps she can't hear well through that wig?
Whazzat? Mary flipped her wig agin? Turn up the A/C she overheatin'.
Bring back Edna, she's smart, sassy, competant and gorgeous.
The job should go on a annual rotating basis to the reigning Miss Cayman Islands on an ex officio basis. The job would not be done any worse, and the new TV stations would get better viewing figures.
Who are you Tue, 11/06/2012 – 10:12? ""Smart, sassy, competant and gorgeous" … Edna? Really?!!! LMAO!!!!!!!! Mrs. Mary might not be the best speaker ever but I sure wouldn't change her to put Edna back in there. Mrs. Mary might not be the best speaker ever but she is a woman of inegrity and generally conducts herself with decorum and carries herself in a way becoming of the position of Speaker. No one is perfect but I do not believe that she has ever been known to hang out in bars arguing xxxxxxx. No, Mrs. Mary has class and in her own way she is gorgeous too!
I am afraid Ms. Mary has not demonstrated any integrity in her role as Speaker.
Oh please! Man she has a lot of family with those 30 plus thumbs up! lolol What a joke. Give me Ms Mary Lawrence with all her shortcomings anytime! God bless you Ms. Mary.
any comment mr governor????
Bodden Town told this woman NO! 7 times Mary Mary why? you bugging Marry Mary we need your hugging.
My four favourite senility jokes:
One good thing about senility is that you can hide your own easter eggs.
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Three old men are getting their memory tests. The doctor says to the first old man, “What is three times three?”
“274,” was his reply.
The doctor says to the second man, “It’s your turn. What is three times three?”
“Tuesday,” replies the second man.
The doctor says to the third man, “Okay, your turn. What’s three times three?”
“Nine,” says the third man.
“That’s great!” says the doctor. “How did you get that?”
“Simple,” says the third man. “I subtracted 274 from Tuesday.”
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The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
These days I spend a lot of time thinking about the hereafter…
I go somewhere to get something & then wonder what I'm here after….
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An elderly man went to his doctor and said, "Doc, I think I'm getting senile. Several times lately, I have forgotten to zip up."
"That's not senility," replied the doctor. "Senility is when you forget to zip down."
She is a disgrace. Anyone with integrity would have resigned a long time ago accepting they were not up to the job. Her list of bizarre pro-Government rulings and misconduct gets longer and longer. The longer it gets the harder it is to explain it by incompetence and one thinks that political bias has driven everything she does.
Disgrace!
Never has a person been set up for such public failure and embarrassment: she is clearly out of her depth for this job
She was confused because kept speaking to her in French. Madame Speaker, voulez vous……
. . . .couchez avec moi?
NON NON MONSIEUR !! Not on votre bloody vie !!
It has nothing to do with age Ezzard 2013 I think you just contradicted yourself by saying she is getting up in age and should be replaced by someone younger and then you went on to say that age has nothing to do with knowing how to chair parliament. Say waaa?
Poor old Mary, way in over her head.
Don't be fooled Ms. Mary is not incompetent, her problem is that she is compromised and is being led by the great premier. Whatever he says she has to do,it is very disgraceful the manner in which he treats her. The premier will not take no for an answer from his local people or the UK. The only people that he will listen to are the people that will make his money supply dry up.
She has a choice – she can stand up to him.
How many times has she ever ruled against Mac? Never? She has no independence whatsoever.
Typical and she gets paid CI$170,000.00 per annum! Is she the best that our money can buy?
And we all pay per anum.
Holy crap!
and how many days in the year does the la sit?
A Mac appointee muddled…?….Naaaaah….?
Mistake ? Lack of understanding of the House Rules ? – or expediency ?
Careful, you'll get yourselves barred from the LA if you go criticising Mary.
Apparently she has adopted the Rules of Procedure from the Venezuelan legislature. Just never got round to telling us.
Madam Mary Lawrence is getting up in age now. Respectfully, I think she should retire, and the Speaker of the House should be alot younger. Age has nothing to do with knowing how to chair a Parliament.
The fact of the matter is, Edna Moyle is more than capable to carry out the role as Speaker. She knows standing orders and procedure of Parliament better than most who sat in that chair.
But, because of politrix, this Government would rather put poor Ms. Mary there, instead of someone who could guide the house accordingly and could not be shouted at and spoken to like a child when tempers flared from the north-west corner.
If age has nothing to do with it, which I agree with but if you all looking at sending Edna back as speaker, then age will also play its role. We are what we aree, seniors.
Amen to that 11/06/2012 – 10:40. Edna is no spring chicken and not a lot younger than Mrs. Mary plus she sure was nto perfect either and did things that we sometimes didn't agree with. One thing for sure is that Mrs. Mary conducts herself as one would expect a person in the position of Speaker to do. She is not perfect, no one is, but she is not the worse we could have there and if I had to choose between Mary and Edna, give me Mary any day.
There is no excuse for the Speaker being muddled. McKeeeeewa has only one standing order for the Speaker – "Do whatever I say". How hard is that to follow – well I have to admit that sometimes – OK a lot of the time – McKeeeeewa is totally incomprehensible but it should have been clear that anything the opposition or independent members ask for should be denied out of general respect for McKeeeewa's only standing order.