BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, March 28, 2018 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is taking steps to improve the functioning of Parliamentary procedures through the establishment of a Select Committee that will be tasked with reviewing the Standing Orders of the National Assembly.
That Select Committee will be chaired by Leader of Government Business, the Honourable Eugene Hamilton.
That announcement was made during Wednesday’s (March 28) sitting of the National Assembly, when Minister Hamilton moved a resolution of the National Assembly of Saint Christopher and Nevis under section 21 of the National Assembly Elections Act. Cap. 2.01.
The Leader of Government Business in the House said the resolution is in response to statements made by the Speaker of the House, the Honourable A. Michael Perkins, who stated that he wanted to improve the rules of the House.
“In pursuing that objective Mr. Speaker, you sought advice from the Parliament and you wrote to the parties represented in this Honourable House and obtained support from both sides of this Honourable House in recommending persons to form part of the Select Committee to pursue the objectives that you outlined,” Minister Hamilton said.
The Honourable Eugene Hamilton noted that the Select Committee will be responsible for reviewing the rules, examining where they need to be improved, looking at how they can clarify the language used for those rules and determining how those rules ought to be applied.
“The outcome from the discussions and discourse from the committee returns to this Parliament for amendment to the legislation because we are not just making up rules in isolation, rules are made up in conjunction with the National Assembly Elections Act, so it comes right back to the Parliament for there to be debate and for there to be amendment, if any, to the National Assembly Elections Act,” Minister Hamilton added.
The other members of the Select Committee are the Honourable Vance Amory, the Honourable Patrice Nisbett, the Honourable Konris Maynard and the Honourable Anthony Michael Perkins.
