Panday says Speaker trying to take away fundamental rights

Basdeo Panday has written to his colleagues and supporters explaining what he says is the real issue with the "laptop affair", noting that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is trying to deny MPs their fundamental rights.

"The real issue is whether the Speaker has the power or the right to amend the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives at his whim and fancy," he says.

The letter adds:

"It should be noted that there is no Standing Order that prohibits the use of laptop computers in the Parliament. In fact, the standing Orders are more that forty (40) years old. The Speaker is trying to establish a precedent that he can change the Standing Orders as he wishes by simply sending a letter to the MPs. That must be wrong and the Speaker knows it.

"If he is allowed to get away with this then what prevents him from sending another letter next week informing Members that they must not bring their briefcases into the House without his permission, and if perchance he graciously gives that permission the briefcase is not to be opened unless the member is going to contribute to the debate at the time.

"Should he so order and the member refuse to comply is the speaker entitled to suspend such a member?

"What the Speaker is really trying to do is establish a regime in the House by which no member of the Opposition would be able to expose the corruption and incompetence of the PNM unless the Speaker allows it.

"That would be to take a way a fundamental right. We cannot permit it.

It is signed: Basdeo Panday, UNC Chairman and Political Leader

Read commentary: The laptop affair was not about the computer