Nov 05 - GSD: “Power Appears To Be Going To Mr Picardo’s Head”
The GSD says it notes what it terms the “quite extraordinary interview” given by Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, to GBC in which, according to the pary, he yet again “tried to complicate what is a very simple issue.”
A statement from the party continues: “There is no justification for treating the Liberal Party and the GSLP as separate entities when it comes to TV debates on the policy or performance of the Government. The Liberal Party is of course in alliance (as distinct from a coalition) with the GSLP and they both form the Government. They both fought the last four general elections on a joint programme for government, on the same electoral slate and won the last election on one manifesto. Their policies over the last 13 years, including those in government have been developed as one and the same entity.
“Furthermore, all their members in Parliament form part of the executive arm of the Government so that they are each bound by collective cabinet responsibility thereby prohibiting them from expressing a different view to the Government in public. In these circumstances, it is near impossible to envisage circumstances where a Liberal Party representative (whether elected or not elected) will ever express a different view to that of a GSLP representative on a question of Government policy. The proposed reduction of the voting age from 18 to 16 is such a policy.
“To also suggest that every time GBC invites the Government or the Opposition, both can only send Members of Parliament is absurd and that absurdity is easily tested. What would happen if in future a third party obtained representation in Parliament in the form of one Member of Parliament? There would be two parties in Opposition. By parity of reasoning that third party would be obliged to send its sole Member of Parliament to every Viewpoint debate in which the Government and Opposition were invited because they would not be able to send an unelected spokesperson even if that person might be dealing with the subject matter of the debate.
“There are also very good reasons why in mature democracy a public service broadcaster would want to ensure that its debates are freshened up by the attendance of someone other than a Member of Parliament. There are equally good reasons why an Opposition may want to ensure that it exposes non-Members of Parliament to television debates. According to Mr Picardo that is not possible unless his Alliance gets to send two representatives. That is not democratic.
“This is just another petty exercise by Mr. Picardo in control and the kind of control freakery he used to say he was against when he was in Opposition. He should have better things to do with his time.”
