Opposition moves Jack, Ramesh from House committees

Trinidad & Tobago's Opposition Chief Whip Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj is no longer a member of on Parliament’s Privileges Committee. His sucessor is Kamla Persad-Bissessar, one of the three deputy political leaders of the United National Congress (UNC). Persad-Bissessar will also be her party's representative the House Committee.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives made the announcement Friday. Barendra Sinanan heads Privileges, Standing Orders and Regulations committees. PNM House leader Colm Inbert heads the House Committee.

and MP Jack Warner were the UNC representatives on the House Committee in the last session of Parliament; Maharaj was the party's representative on the Privileges Committee. Both of them are no longer on the Committee. Persad-Bissessar and Fyzabad MP Chandresh Sharma have replaced them.

Persad-Bissessar will serve on the Privileges team with UNC MPs Dr Roodal Moonilal and Dr Tim Gopeesingh, plus four Government members. There are two Pandays on the Standing Orders Committee Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday’s daughter MP Mickela Panday and Panday's brother, Subhas Panday.

Warner told the media Friday he has no problem with the. “Ramesh and I didn’t submit our names since we felt we’d served before and we felt others should be given a chance,” he explained.

The opposition leader agreed that everyone has a chance to serve but doesn't think there serving on these committees make any difference with a government majority.