Separate requests for Energy Minister Kevin Ramnarine and Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley to be referred to the House of Representatives’ Committee of Privileges, for alleged parliamentary breaches during previous sittings, were not determined yesterday as House Speaker Wade Mark was out of the country.
As the sitting was called to order at 1.30 pm, the clerk indicated that the sitting would be presided over by Deputy Speaker Nela Khan, prompting Rowley to ask, “Where is the Speaker?” The answer was not forthcoming as Khan had approached the chair.
The T&T Guardian was later informed that Mark was in Canada to attend the funeral of senate speaker Pierre Claude Nolin, 64, who died after a five-year battle with a rare cancer.
During the sitting, Ramnarine issued a statement to clarify what he had said at the previous sitting.
He recalled yesterday that in response to a question from Rowley on the order paper, he said the basic monthly salary of the former executive chairman of state-owned Petrotrin, Malcolm Jones, was $162,500.
He then said he was subsequently informed by Petrotrin that Jones’ basic monthly salary effective January 1, 2007, was $125,000 per month and that he also received “a 30 per cent gratuity of his monthly gross salary.”
In seeking to clarify the matter, Ramnarine said yesterday, “When the 30 per cent gratuity is added to the basic (monthly) salary of $125,000, one gets the figure $162,500 per month.” He “apologised for any lack of clarity in this matter and it was never my intention to mislead the House.”
Sources said yesterday that the clarification by Ramnarine may effectively have saved him from being referred to the Privileges Committee.
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar last week made a request to have Rowley referred to the Privileges Committee, alleging that he breached parliamentary privilege when he presented a motion of no confidence against Finance and the Economy Minister Larry Howai.
The Speaker is now expected to rule on that matter at the next sitting.
Before the start of yesterday’s sitting, however, all eyes were on Chaguanas West MP Jack Warner, who went across to sit on the government bench for a chat with Health Minister Dr Fuad Khan.
Warner returned to his seat for the start of the sitting and remained there, even after the Opposition, led by Rowley, left the chamber for the fourth sitting as the debate on a motion of no confidence against him resumed.
Khan, who was about to contribute, appealed to the Opposition MPs, as they picked up their documents, to “stay and defend your leader.”
But Patricia McIntosh, Port-of-Spain North/St. Ann's MP, shouted as she approached the door, “We are leaving to defend him. We are leaving to defend him.”
Diego Martin Central MP Dr Amery Browne was the last to depart and Khan also called on him to stay and defend Rowley. Browne said, “I’ll be back.”
He then left the chamber.