Dispute Over VROMI Meetings, Parliament Secretariat will review, Chairlady Says

GREAT BAY--Member of Parliament Darryl York on Friday charged that Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs is avoiding Parliament by not attending requested meetings and by not responding to questions and correspondence submitted by MPs through Parliament’s secretariat.

York’s remarks followed the Minister’s earlier suggestion that only a limited number of letters were outstanding and that there had been only one meeting request. York said the record of submissions contradicts that claim, pointing to multiple registered Parliament documents, each assigned an “IS” identification number upon receipt.

“Once something is submitted here in Parliament, for example, letters to the ministers or meeting requests, they are registered,” York said, as he listed several document numbers, including: IS1302, IS14, IS415, IS853, IS1057, IS1319, IS373, IS276, IS277, IS187, IS1298, as well as additional references he cited as IS 4/06 and IS 4/05.

York said those submissions, sent over the past year, had not received replies, nor had the requested meetings been held. He also identified the subject matter of several meeting requests, including:

• IS1057, which he said related to housing
• IS 4/06, which he said related to infrastructure, the road network, and traffic congestion
• IS 4/05, which he said related to flood management

York further stated that, in his view, if a policy matter is publicly discussed, it should be ready to be explained to Parliament. Referring to the Minister’s comments about the status and scheduling of a housing meeting, York said, “If a policy is far enough to disclose it on the Tribune and in the Herald, then it’s far enough for you to come to Parliament and explain it to the people.”

In response, Minister Gumbs questioned if three meetings were indeed outstanding. He asked the Chairlady to confirm whether the meeting requests had been communicated to the Ministry of VROMI, stating: “I’d like to ask the Secretariat to please indicate if those meeting requests have been communicated to the Ministry of VROMI.”

Chairlady of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams replied that Parliament’s secretariat is working on a complete overview of meeting requests and has already communicated with several MPs due to overlapping requests and scheduling conflicts. She said requests are being reviewed comprehensively and in chronological order, noting that newer requests have also been submitted for the Minister. Wescot-Williams added that the Minister would receive a response based on Parliament’s administration and the meeting requests received, and she observed that not all submissions referenced are necessarily meeting requests, as some relate to questions posed to the Minister.

How the process works
In Parliament, MPs submit written questions and meeting requests through Parliament’s secretariat, including requests for a Minister to be present at a meeting. The secretariat registers each submission, forwards it to the relevant Minister’s cabinet, and coordinates scheduling in communication with the Minister’s cabinet. Meetings may also be scheduled by the secretariat with the Minister informed of the proposed date, after which the Minister may confirm attendance or propose an alternative date.

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