Govt, Opposition clash over appointment of Local Govt Commission

…Aubrey Norton’s efforts to bypass Ministry handling process sows’ chaos

Confusion arose in the National Assembly on Tuesday and Wednesday, over the status of the Local Government Commission (LGC), with the opposition claiming that the government is yet to respond to its nominees for the commission and the government revealing that the opposition has been bypassing the ministry that was delegated to handle the process of corresponding.
During Tuesday’s consideration of the budget estimates for the Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Sonia Parag was questioned by the parliamentary opposition about when the Local Government Commission would be appointed.

A disagreement then arose in the National Assembly, with Parag explaining that the Government has already kick started the process and written to the Leader of the Opposition, Aubrey Norton, requesting that he submit his nominees for the commission, but is yet to receive a response.
While Mahipaul had acknowledged that the government wrote to the Opposition Leader, he was adamant that the Opposition Leader had responded and had, in fact provided, the names of three nominees for the commission.
“The leader of the opposition responded to the letter and made the nominations of three members and to date there is no correspondence regarding the swearing in ceremony. The question is when will there be a swearing in ceremony?” Mahipaul asked.
According to Parag, however, Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance Gail Texeira wrote to the Leader of the Opposition, as recent as days ago, and was yet to receive a response.

Wrong ministry
During Wednesday’s sitting of the National Assembly, before the examination of the budget estimates for the Ministry of Health could get underway, Mahipaul again raised the issue of the Local Government Commission.
This time, he came with the correspondence to show that the opposition had sent the names of the nominees to the Office of the President, and demanded that Parag apologize to the house and withdraw her Tuesday statements on the commission.
Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir did not grant this request, as he noted that in government mail can sometimes go awry. It also quickly became evident that the opposition, in its haste to bypass the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, had sent their letter to the Office of the President… even though Texeira’s Ministry had been delegated to handle the process.
Texeira, who was taking part in the session virtually, explained that the Opposition Leader frequently bypasses her Ministry, which is the relevant body to handle correspondence on constitutional appointments, and this is just another example of that.
“I did write the leader of the opposition on behalf of his excellency the President, as requested by him. And I was advised on Friday afternoon that the letter had been responded to by Mr. Norton, to the President,” she said.
“Mr. Norton has a habit of not recognizing me as the person who writes him on behalf of the President. So, any correspondence sent to him on constitutional appointments, he will respond directly to the President and/or through an emissary.”
As such, Texeira noted that she was not aware there had been a response until Monday. She had then advised one of the Presidential Secretaries to ask the leader of the opposition for the Curriculum Vitae’s (CV’s) of his nominees.
“So regrettably, I did not anticipate that the question would be asked to Minister Sonia Parag. If I had anticipated that, I would have told her so she could respond. So, she did not misinform the house. And I do not think she should have to offer an apology,” the Minister said.
“However, I would like to ask the honorable member that, as I am asked by the President to write the leader of the opposition, that he also provides me with his responses or correspondence, instead of always disregarding my correspondence and treating me as if I am too much beneath him for him to respond.”
The last Local Government Commission was sworn in back in 2021, for a three-year term. On that commission were government nominees Clinton Collymore, Carol Sooba, and Norman Whittaker; opposition nominees Clement Corlette, Joan-Ann Romascindo and Nicola Trotman, and Carvil Duncan and Julius Faerber. The commission has responsibility over all local government organs. (G3)