Dear Editor,
House Speaker Michael Peart, at the opening of last Tuesday's sitting of the House of Representatives, expressed to the less than full complement of parliamentarians present his disappointment and embarrassment by the mere four parliamentarians who showed up to a recent meeting between MPs and a visiting overseas delegation.
Speaker Peart indicated that something will need to be done, as the situation was getting from bad to worse regarding parliamentarians failing to attend various functions to which they are invited.
We are all too familiar with the level of absenteeism in relation to the various parliamentary committees, several of which have not had a sitting for quite some time due to lack of quorum.
The regular parliamentary sittings have not been spared, with many members seemingly viewing their attendance as optional, especially when an election is in the offing, or as in the case of this past Tuesday's sitting, being the last before the summer recess.
Parliamentarians were elected to work on behalf of the people of this country, and a part of that work involves being in the Parliament to contribute to the making of laws for the peace, order, and good governance of the country.
Being absent from parliamentary and related sittings without justifiable cause, even though many when present hardly contribute meaningfully, does not afford them the opportunity to help advance the legislative process.
It is time we consider docking parliamentarians pay for regular unexcused absences, especially when such absences relate directly to their jobs, such as parliamentary and committee sittings, as such absences effectively represent them abandoning their jobs without cause.
As would obtain, especially in the private sector, where an employee who fails to turn up for work without being on approved vacation or sick leave would not get paid for time away from work, such should be the treatment of parliamentarians.
The sad thing is: would the parliamentarians, themselves, vote to enact such a law that, though fully in the country's interest, may not be in their narrow self-interest?
Kevin KO Sangster
sangstek@msn.com
Dock MPs pay for absenteeism
-->
House Speaker Michael Peart, at the opening of last Tuesday's sitting of the House of Representatives, expressed to the less than full complement of parliamentarians present his disappointment and embarrassment by the mere four parliamentarians who showed up to a recent meeting between MPs and a visiting overseas delegation.
Speaker Peart indicated that something will need to be done, as the situation was getting from bad to worse regarding parliamentarians failing to attend various functions to which they are invited.
We are all too familiar with the level of absenteeism in relation to the various parliamentary committees, several of which have not had a sitting for quite some time due to lack of quorum.
The regular parliamentary sittings have not been spared, with many members seemingly viewing their attendance as optional, especially when an election is in the offing, or as in the case of this past Tuesday's sitting, being the last before the summer recess.
Parliamentarians were elected to work on behalf of the people of this country, and a part of that work involves being in the Parliament to contribute to the making of laws for the peace, order, and good governance of the country.
Being absent from parliamentary and related sittings without justifiable cause, even though many when present hardly contribute meaningfully, does not afford them the opportunity to help advance the legislative process.
It is time we consider docking parliamentarians pay for regular unexcused absences, especially when such absences relate directly to their jobs, such as parliamentary and committee sittings, as such absences effectively represent them abandoning their jobs without cause.
As would obtain, especially in the private sector, where an employee who fails to turn up for work without being on approved vacation or sick leave would not get paid for time away from work, such should be the treatment of parliamentarians.
The sad thing is: would the parliamentarians, themselves, vote to enact such a law that, though fully in the country's interest, may not be in their narrow self-interest?
Kevin KO Sangster
sangstek@msn.com
Dock MPs pay for absenteeism
-->