Golding and Lightbourne
PRIME MINISTER Bruce Golding might have reneged on his promise to bring some critical legislation to Parliament, but has kept his word with regard to others.
Golding, on the campaign trail in the lead-up to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) victory in the general election of 2007, had promised, among other things, to implement legislation for term limits for the office of prime minister and provisions for a fixed election date.
However, 15 months after his party took power Golding is yet to bring to Parliament legislation which would limit a prime minister to only two terms and would dictate a fixed election date or period.
no betrayal
But, Attorney General Dorothy Lightbourne says that it is not a betrayal of a promise by the prime minister. She says the Government is committed to introducing the legislation.
"A bill has been drafted and had been considered by Cabinet," Lightbourne tells The Sunday Gleaner.
The attorney general and justice minister says the Cabinet is to make a decision as to whether the proposed legislation would be introduced to Parliament and work towards getting two-thirds of both houses to approve it, or to introduce it with other pieces of proposed constitutional reform due to go before the legislators.
Prime Minister Golding had said that he would bring legislation to Parliament that would dictate when elections were held.
He had also said no prime minister should serve more than two terms.
government contracts
Meanwhile, Government is yet to take legislation to Parliament that would criminalise breaches of the rules governing the award of government contracts, so that those engaged in these wrongs can be punished.
The prime minister had highlighted the fight against corruption as one of the priorities on his list.
"Stamping out corruption because corruption and prosperity for all do not go together," Golding said in his 2008 New Year's message.
Lightbourne, however, says proposed legislation is the subject of consultation.
"The prime minister has set up a task force that is looking into that issue," Lightbourne says.
According to Lightbourne, the task force has been given the job of examining the various procurement breaches in the awarding of government contracts and to suggest tough fines for breaches.
"The penalties are so low and the prime minister has instructed the task force to examine the issue of the breaches in the award of contracts and suggest penalties that are much greater than the ones that exist at the moment," Lightbourne tells The Sunday Gleaner.
legislative agenda
But, aside from those two non-deliveries, the Government's legislative agenda has kept pace with the list Golding outlined to the nation in his first address in November 2007.
The much-touted whistleblower legislation and the reform of the libel laws have not yet reached bill stages, but Lightbourne says the wheels are turning on them.
The reform of the libel laws is now before a joint-select committee, but that committee is yet to have a single sitting.
"The challenge we had with this one is that we could not find any time for the committee to meet because we had so many joint-select committees sitting," Lightbourne says.
The attorney general also admits that Government stumbled with the whistleblower legislation and had to start all over.
"The draft bill was done, but the Cabinet felt that it was not wide enough," Lightbourne says. She adds that the initial bill addressed employers and employees, but wider consideration has since been done and a Green Paper prepared and is now before Parliament for consideration.
"We did most of the things we wanted to accomplish," Lightbourne says while adding that she wants to turn government's legislative wheels faster in the new year.
The prime minister started with aplomb in 2008, tabling and getting legislation passed to roll back the pension payable to the prime minister.
common ground
He tabled the bill in February last year and by March, Parliament had voted to roll back the pensions payable to him as prime minister.
Parliament has spent most of 2008 in committees with members attempting to find common ground on proposed legislation.
In the last year steps have been taken to amend the Constitution for the Charter of Rights and Freedoms as well as to increase the number of constituencies from 60 to 63.
The much-talked-about 'Sexual Offences Act' and the list of special anti-crime measures were all placed on to the parliamentary plate and the attorney general says they will be given full attention when Parliament resumes sittings this month.
Status of promised legislation
AN INDEPENDENT authority to investigate abuses by members of the security forces. Status - An Independent Commission of Investigations Act has been drafted and tabled in the House. It has been referred to a joint-select committee
A special coroner to conduct inquests in cases where a citizen dies at the hands of agents of the State;
Status - Passed in the Senate
Measures to criminalise breaches of the rules governing the award of government contracts so that those engaged in these wrongs can be punished.
Status - No clear signal from Government
Establishment of a special prosecutor to investigate and bring to justice those involved in corrupt practices.
STATUS - Referred to joint-select committee
Whisteblower legislation to protect those who provide information about corrupt or illegal activities.
Status - Green Paper tabled in the Senate
Reform of the libel laws to make it easier to expose those involved in wrongdoing.
Status - Libel laws reviewed by committee, but proposed amendments yet to go to Parliament.
Term limits for the office of prime minister and provisions for a fixed election period.
Status - Cabinet considering
roll-back of the pension payable to prime ministers and a decision to limit parliamentary salary increases to that which is paid to public sector workers.
Status - Signed, sealed and delivered!