Opposition MPs Question 1 Year Delay for Committee Meeting

Opposition members of parliament are questioning the infrequency with which meetings of Parliament’s Economic and Production Committee are held.

The committee met on Wednesday to deliberate on a private members motion, in what was its first sitting in over a year.

Member of Parliament for Western St. Andrew, Anthony Hylton, a former chairman of the committee, says meetings have rarely been convened since a directive issued by Prime Minister Andrew Holness for several committees of parliament be chaired by government MPs.

Mr. Hylton called on the new chairman, North Clarendon MP, Dwight Sibblies, to ensure that more meetings are held, given the importance of the committee’s work.

Anthony Hylton, MP for Western St. Andrew.

Meanwhile, South St. Catherine MP Fitz Jackson says the failure of such a key committee to meet for over a year is unforgivable.

Wednesday’s sitting was triggered by a private members motion by Mr. Jackson.

Mr. Jackson is calling on the Bank of Jamaica to respond to concerns raised by customers of deposit-taking institutions due to losses suffered by fraud and the lack of availability of automated banking machines, or ABM.

He noted that the committee might not have met had his motion not required it to do so within 45 days of the tabling of his motion.

Fitz Jackson, MP for South St. Catherine.