Ramkarran tells Nadir to stop tastelessness in Parliament
– Says media’s right to print heckling “in its disgusting detail”
Kaieteur News– Former House Speaker Ralph Ramkarran said in his ‘Conversation Tree’ column that the incumbent has a duty to prevent blasphemy by MPs.
“The Speaker has a duty to stop the tasteless,” he said, “and there are provisions in Standing Orders to deal with members who break the rules of order by shouting across the aisle or making comments tasteless or otherwise insulting, even while sitting. There are also the Speaker’s extensive discretionary powers that are not written in any rulebook but can be exercised very effectively. Parliament must be brought to its heel. He was allowed to rot and has become a den of misogyny, homophobia, dehumanization, deportation and discourtesy. Running aspirations may seem to hurt the victims, but among opinion formers, they do more harm to the criminals, who must be named. ”
Former House Speakers, Ralph Ramkarran and Manzoor Nadir
This followed a week of disparaging, thoughtless comments made by MPs during their budget speeches and in the heckling of their colleagues, when budget debates opened last week. As the week went by, racism, homophobia and sexism in MPs’ comments began to diminish as Kaieteur News reported on and ridiculed the public in newspaper letter speeches, as well as on social media.
In response, Speaker Manzoor Nadir warned the media about reporting on heckling, and told the media that he was opening himself up to be sued.
“I have read many of the articles, letters and comments relating to the conduct of MPs during the Budget debate,” said Ramkarran. “The press is right to bring this slow-fall abrasion into the public domain and print in its disgusting detail what Members are saying. The press is fully and completely protected from any liability of any kind for their correct correspondence. “
Nadir has started to censure MPs more for dishonest behavior in the House. Education Minister Priya Manickchand also slammed her colleagues for their poor behavior.