– Opposition deems it “the slaughter of democracy”By Kiana WilburgNever in the history of the National Assembly have the estimates of the budget been debated in three days. The rules of the House allow for such deliberations to last a maximum of seven days. But Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo believes that the current members of the House are quite competent and would not require such a long time.Before the continuation of the debate over the 2015 budget yesterday, Nagamootoo moved a motion to have the estimates of what has been described as the largest budget ever, to be debated within three days.This motion instantly threw the House into a state of confusion. The Opposition’s Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira stood immediately to reject the motion, stressing that Standing Order 73.1 says that there shall be a maximum of seven days for the deliberations.Teixeira said,Cheap NFL Jerseys, “Mr. Speaker you are a new kid on the block and debates on the estimates have taken place from up to five to seven days when we were in government? and we will not support this motion for the time for the deliberations to be reduced to three days.”The Opposition Chief Whip also bemoaned the fact that the common courtesy was not even extended to her by the Government’s Chief Whip, Amna Ally,Wholesale Jerseys, for a discussion on the motion to be done, as normal protocol would dictate.Teixeira stressed that reducing the deliberations to three days is unacceptable and the opposition will oppose it.A few minutes were taken for the Clerk of the National Assembly , Sherlock Isaacs, to consult? with the House Speaker on the said matter during which time, Nagamootoo asked to take the floor to respond to Teixeira.The seasoned lawyer told the Speaker that while Standing Order 73.1 may stipulate that there is a maximum of seven days, it does not state that there should be a minimum time for the deliberations.Prime Minister, Moses NagamootooOpposition Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira“A maximum of seven days does not mean we can’t set a minimum?if the House wants to,” the Prime Minister added.But Teixeira quickly retorted that protocol must be observed.She said that the 2015 budget contains the renaming of some ministries and the addition of new ones. The politician noted that opposition members would not only have to peruse the allocations for these agencies, but also for the ten administrative regions.“All of this will double up our work. We have never tried to prevent the other members when they were in opposition of the time they needed. This is unacceptable. It is trickery. I am asking you (Speaker) to declare this motion out of order. Let the schedule for deliberations be approved according to the norms and practices of this house,NFL Jerseys From China,” the Opposition Chief whip appealed.But Teixeira was disappointed by the Speaker Dr. Barton Scotland’s decision.He said,Cheap Jerseys, “It seems to me?that Text 73. 1 speaks of the maximum time and not the minimum time, and I find no fault with the motion presented.”When it was put to a vote, the opposition was obviously outnumbered and the motion was subsequently passed.This led to the Opposition orally demonstrating its anger as its members hurled insults at the government members.From every direction on the western side of the House, members shouted,Jerseys From China, “This is the transparency and accountability you speak of?” “This is bullyism!” “Where is the democracy?”The House was then called to order by the Speaker and the debates on the budget commenced. But the topic would raise its ugly head once again during the presentation of PPP Parliamentarian,NFL Jerseys China, Vindhya Persaud.An impassioned Persaud told the Government that she is disappointed in the request for reducing the time for the opposition to scrutinize the estimates.“Mr. Speaker, they don’t want to face our questions? Where is the democracy? I feel disheartened if this is how we will proceed in these early stages. God help us if this is how we are starting.”A team of opposition members later held a press conference in? Committee room two of the Parliament to speak once more on the matter among other pressing issues.The team emphasized that the government’s motion represents “the slaughter of democracy.”