Elizabeth Morgan | Required – a properly functioning parliament

THE GENERAL election is over and the Jamaica Labour Party will be returning to government with a smaller number of members of Parliament (MPs), 35, to the People’s National Party’s 28. There should thus be a stronger Opposition in the parliament which should be good for our democracy. A new five-year term of Parliament will commence soon.

On May 8, 2024, this column expressed concern about the functioning of Jamaica’s Parliament in an article titled ‘Parliament’s diminished role in Jamaica’s international relations’. With the election behind us, the concerns remain about the functioning of Parliament which should play a key role in governance and democracy.

VOTER TURNOUT

From the official figure given for the voter turnout, only 39.5 per cent of those on the voters’ list turned out to cast their ballots. This means that MPs were elected by a minority of those eligible to vote. The other 60.5 per cent either signalled complete indifference to the voting process, only wanting an official identification card, or were signalling that their vote would have been in the ‘none of the above’ column were one on the ballot. In reviewing the list of candidates from all participants, when assessing character, competence and performance, the decision to vote could have been a difficult one to make.

It is noted that of the elections held in CARICOM countries since January, Jamaica has registered the lowest voter turnout – Belize -65.1 per cent; Trinidad and Tobago – 54 per cent; Suriname – 76.7 per cent, and Guyana – about 62 per cent.

The low voter turnout should be of serious concern in Jamaica as it could be indicating that parliament is not genuinely representative of the people. It could also be signalling that a referendum could be a risky undertaking.

PARLIAMENT – A ZONE OF ENTERTAINMENT?

In the Westminster model, Parliament is the legislative body which is supposed to represent the people, make laws, and have oversight of government activities, including in finance. It is made up of the Monarch (the Head of State of Jamaica) represented by the governor general, the appointed upper house – the Senate, and the elected lower house – the House of Representatives. The executive branch of the government comes from the Parliament – the prime minister as head of Government and the Cabinet appointed from the lower and upper houses representing the majority political party in parliament. The post of leader of the Opposition is recognised by the Constitution and is held by the leader of the main minority party in parliament.

Many years ago, there were those who would go to listen to the debates and watch the proceedings in parliament mainly in the House of Representatives. Debates were after-school viewing on television.

In more recent years, the impression is that not much happens in Parliament outside of the formal opening of the session, the Budget debates, meetings of the Public Accounts Committee, and consideration and passage of a few pieces of legislation.

Parliament has become a zone of entertainment where Cabinet ministers give their best theatrical performances during the Budget debates. MPs engage in cross talk, temper tantrums, comedy turns, and desk thumping. They wear party colours in the House. Viewers might even be treated to the singing of a party anthem at the end of the sitting. Should the political party allegiance be so prominently exhibited in Parliament? Or, should party symbols remain outside the Parliament?

The poor attendance in the House was also raised in the media during previous terms of Parliament.

MEETINGS OF PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEES

Committees of Parliament are made up of a mix of MPs, being joint bodies, and are intended to consider various matters of national importance and make recommendations. With the exception of budget matters, one does not get the impression that parliamentary committees meet very often. The one of specific interest to this column is the Internal and External Affairs Committee, which it does not appear has met since May 2024. This committee, among other things, should consider matters related to foreign policy.

THE FOREIGN MINISTER

Over at least three terms of Parliament, the minister responsible for foreign affairs and foreign trade has been appointed from the Senate and not the House of Representatives. What this means is that this minister does not participate in the sectoral debates in Parliament. It is expected that the minister would make a statement in the Senate. Ministry papers do not seem to be used much any more for reporting. It is seeming that issues related to foreign policy infrequently make it into the Parliament in any chamber.

SHADOW SPOKESPERSONS

The Opposition leader appoints his shadow Cabinet, whose members are his spokespersons on the various portfolio issues, including foreign policy. The shadow spokesperson on this issue must be knowledgeable enough to be able to address the various issues confronting Jamaica in the regional and international arenas. A strong opposition means having competent and active shadow spokespersons.

The matter of the shadow Cabinet was raised in this column on January 10, 2024 in an article titled ‘The new shadow cabinet – what is the role of the foreign ministry?’

COMMUNICATING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

It seems these days that if one wants to know what is happening on such issues as foreign policy, including trade policy, one has to be on social media, such as X and Instagram. One also cannot rely on government websites which are quite often not updated and sometimes have incorrect information. Don’t expect information to be channelled through parliament.

US President Donald Trump has made social media a preferred form of communication in government/diplomatic circles. Has the legality of this form of communication been fully determined and guidelines for use established?

THE WORKING ENVIRONMENT

As stated in the article of May 8, 2024, Gordon House does not provide the best working environment for parliamentarians and its administrative staff. One assumes that there is still a proposal for the construction of a new Parliament building. If not, Gordon House would benefit from some refurbishing.

Thus, for this new term, a properly functioning Parliament, meeting a fairly high standard of decorum and professionalism, is required.

Elizabeth Morgan is a specialist in international trade policy and international politics. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com