THE EDITOR, Madam:
I’m writing in response to the article, ‘Parliament Opposition involved about new microphone system at Parliament’, printed in The Gleaner on September 22.
I welcome the brand new microphone system in Parliament, which is able to document all proceedings.
All hearings of the Home of Commons and the Home of Lords, and sure choose committees hearings, are recorded in Parliament in the UK, and the Speaker of the Homes controls the microphone.
I imagine the structure of the UK solely requires to maintain a journal of all hearings. The USA of America requires all proceedings of the Home of Representatives and the Senate to be recorded in Congress.
Whereas the US Structure mandates that “Every Home shall hold a Journal of its proceedings,” no clause requires the verbatim recording of Home and Senate debates. Nonetheless, members of Congress and their workers count on an correct, complete, and unbiased account of all ground actions.
When it comes to the US mandates, it’s the identical for the Structure of Jamaica. No clause within the Structure of Jamaica requires the verbatim recording of the debates in Parliament. Nonetheless, Jamaica’s members of parliament and their workers count on an correct, complete, and unbiased account of ground actions.
Management the microphone
US Speaker of the Home of Representatives controls the microphone. Each individual of each Homes is assigned a time (a.m./p.m.) when they need to begin to current their subject(s) in Congress.
For instance, a Congress member begins at 11:30 a.m. to current their first subject(s) on the ground for a three-minute period.
The Congress member can use all of their three minutes or yield a few of their time to their colleague and use the rest of their time at a later time, and the Speaker decides when the remaining time ought to be used.
Earlier than the three minutes are up, the Speaker reminds him/ her how a lot time is left. The Speaker makes the choice when to maneuver on to the subsequent Congress member to talk on the ground, or whether or not extra time must be given to the one that is on the ground talking.
The Speaker additionally decides when to flip off the microphone if a Congress member fails to comply with directions and the three-minute period to talk on the ground.
So, the usage of microphones in Parliament could be very productive. It helps the debates to be environment friendly, easy, and saves time. It additionally coordinates with the constitutional reform.
CARGILL KELLY
