Motion to remove Patterson as PAC Chair for debate today in National Assembly

–Teixeira urges former Minister to do the right thing & resign

The motion for Patterson’s removal will be heard before the National Assembly

It is expected that when the National Assembly convenes today, it will be to debate a motion to approve the removal of APNU/AFC Member of Parliament David Patterson, as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The motion, which is being piloted by Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, is seeking Patterson’s removal on the grounds that he “has consistently and openly violated the Standing Orders and has introduced a level of bullyism unbefitting of a Member of Parliament, and, in doing so, bringing the image of the National Assembly into disrepute.”
The motion also notes that “as a result of Mr David Patterson’s conduct as Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee with respect to his open violation of the Standing Orders, among other things, in particular since February 1, the majority of the members of the Public Accounts Committee have lost confidence in him as the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee.”
The Minister told the state media on Sunday that while removing a Chairperson of a parliamentary standing committee is rare, it does happen and therefore there is precedent for the former Public Infrastructure Minister’s removal.
“The whole view that this is something that the PPP, and me as the Minister, is doing something wrong and that this doesn’t happen in Parliaments is untrue. There are instances in the various Parliaments over the decades of Chairpersons of Parliamentary Committees being removed based on, in many cases, what are… allegations or criticisms to do with impropriety and matters connected with what may be considered corruption.”
It was pointed out by Teixeira that Patterson has been refusing to comply with instructions from both the Speaker and the Clerk of the National Assembly, even though they sought independent legal advice on his appointment. According to her, the situation is mind-boggling.
“I have never seen a situation where a Chairperson or a Member of Parliament refuses to obey an instruction of the Speaker and violate the Standing Orders massively and still continues to remain there.”
The Minister noted that the actions have meant that meetings of the PAC have not been convened, thereby blocking scrutiny of the Auditor General’s reports for the years 2016 to 2019, years the coalition was in office. It is this standstill that has led to the motion before the House as a last resort.
The motion had been set for debate at last Thursday’s meeting but never came up after protracted presentations from Opposition MPs on another motion that Mr Patterson had brought before the House. According to Teixeira, she expects the Opposition to try the same tactic today.
“We’re not going to be intimidated by that. I expect the motion will come up to remove Patterson, and it will be debated until it’s finished, and if that takes us to 12, 1 o’clock in the morning, then so be it.”
“I hear rumblings from the Opposition that even if the motion passes, they are going to try and elect him for every sitting (of the PAC). I wish just to inform the public that a Resolution of the House, in this case, the removal of Patterson as Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee, means he can never be Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee unless the Resolution is amended in the future or rescinded by a motion in the House.”
Patterson was nominated and declared Chair when the PAC met on December 28 last. However, at its sixth meeting on February 1, the examination of the 2016 Auditor General’s Report revealed several concerning expenditures from the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, which Patterson had led during the period under review.
A motion was first moved by Minister Teixeira urging him to step down as Chairperson. Following his refusal to do so, another was introduced calling for his resignation as Chair while remaining a committee member. The intention was that another Opposition member of the PAC be the Chairperson instead.
The motion requires a simple majority to pass. The People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) holds 33 seats in the National Assembly, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition 31, and the joinder list of small parties one seat.
“If I were Mr Patterson, or if I were any Member of Parliament that was in the position that the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee was in, I would resign just in order to retain some sense of dignity and integrity,” Minister Teixeira said.