Up to 10 pm yesterday, several PP MPs and Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, along with PNM MP’s had spoken on the Constitutional (Amendment) Bill.
Among COP MPs, only Ramadhar had spoken up to that time.
He had trained his “guns” on the PNM, defended constitutional reform as an initiative but said the runoff ballot was “a very poor but necessary substitute for proportional representation.”
Other COP MPs present were former leader Winston Dookeran, Dr Lincoln Douglas, Dr Rodger Samuel and Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan.
The latter did not say when she would speak or if she and other COP MPs might abstain or vote against, or for the legislation.
Contacted around 7 pm on when the vote would be taken, PP House Leader Roodal Moonilal replied: “Later...”
Persad-Bissessar, in debate, said a simple majority was all that was necessary to pass the bill. Government’s full complement of MPs (26) were present in the House, including the five COP MPs. Ten of the 13 PNM MPs were present for the start of the debate.
The PM declared that she had been warned by some columnists the situation could mean the PP’s general election death but said she did not fear what the electorate would do.
“These are promises we made and we are keeping them as they make for better governance and placing more power in the people’s hands.”
She said the public would be able to vote for candidates of choice but parties must campaign to win not come third or fourth. If they lost, a secondary poll would allow opportunity to mobilise every single vote, she said.
The PM said the system would give third or fourth parties a greater opportunity to gain seats in Parliament, rather than being “ killed off.”
Saying smooth handover of power would remain unaffected, the PM said the President would appoint a prime minister while any runoff poll would take place. She said the exact things the PP proposed were in PNM’s constitutional and party process reform reports, which she read out.
Persad-Bissessar added: “This is hypocrisy of the highest form and doublespeak. To profess dangers about our bill when it was all well and good for their party, methinks (PNM) doth protest too much... they must be exposed.
“It was clearly a PNM ‘thing’, so they don’t have the moral and consultative authority not to support this,” Persad- Bissessar added, slamming the PNM’s “fear-mongering” on the bill.