Dear Editor,

In the Westminster system, Parliament is considered the highest court of the land. The lower house is especially important because its members are elected to represent the people. The lower house is also important in that it is from that chamber that the majority of the ministers of government (the Cabinet) are drawn.

Countries whch operate the parliamentary democracy have developed a number of checks and balances to ensure that the members of parliament demonstrate high ideals, sound integrity and good conduct. The British who started the Westminster model have developed a number of conventions geared towards promoting ethical conduct by parliamentarians.

Since our elections of September 2007, successive issues have raised serious questions about the legitimacy and integrity of Parliament. The courts have so far ruled that three members of parliament who were sworn in to uphold the constitution were themselves in breach of the said constitution and were not qualified to be elected in the first place.

Indications are that at least three more members of parliament are in similar breach of the constitution. Let us not forget that two members of parliament pleaded guilty and were fined for abusing members of the police force in separate incidents. Interestingly, the members in question were subsequently promoted in the Cabinet. Of great concern is the fact that there are members who remain in Parliament while facing serious corruption and criminal charges. There is heightened speculation that members of the Jamaican Parliament are among people of interest to the US law-enforcement agencies.

This situation is untenable if we are to have good and proper governance. How can the population respect the laws, decisions and pronouncements that emanate from Parliament in light of these ethical and criminal clouds? The legitimacy and integrity of Parliament are in shambles.

Concerted efforts by civil society and political will are needed to retrieve the situation. Let us begin with one of the recent recommendations of the contractor general that elected officials who are charged and are under serious investigation should recuse themselves from their substantive positions. In the final analysis, there is an urgent need to constitute a non-partisan interim government of national unity to rescue the country from the current state of political bankruptcy.

Orville Plummer

oaplummer@yahoo.com