Opposition members of the People’s National Movement (PNM) have taken a decision to return to the House of Representatives on Friday (May 22) to debate a private motion and to call on the Government to rescind the suspension of its leader Dr Keith Rowley.
The PNM members have been absent from the House of Representatives since May 6 after the Government used its simple majority to pass a motion to suspend Rowley on the basis of claims he made with respect to the Emailgate matter.
Yesterday, PNM chairman Franklin Khan made the announcement at a press briefing at Balisier House, Port-of-Spain.
Khan said the PNM had decided to boycott Parliament until June 17.
Khan said while that decision still stood, the Government had been having two sittings per week in the House, instead of one, to hasten the vacating of Rowley’s Diego Martin West seat.
The seat becomes vacant after six consecutive absences from Parliament.
Khan said the PNM had taken a decision to attend Parliament on Friday to debate a Private Motion which would be moved by Member of Parliament for Point Fortin Paula Gopee-Scoon to deal with the “contentious and scandalous” South West Soldado project in Trinmar.
“We are going to debunk this whole foolishness that they setting trap for us to miss six successive sittings. After the May 22 sitting, there would be no more six sittings until June 17, except if the UNC decide to keep a session every day of the week. Knowing them, they may well do that. It would look ridiculous and scandalous to the population,” Khan said.
Khan said on Friday, which is a Private Members Day, Diego Martin North/East MP Colm Imbert would also move a motion to “rescind the suspension of the political leader of the PNM from Parliament.”