Independent senators vote against Hazel’s bill
Michael Annisette and Gail Merhair support the Government. Other Independent senators voted “no”
The Government, certainly, did not have its way with the unpopular Municipal Corporations Amendment Bill. It had a bit of a fight on its hand before the bill was passed in the Senate late Wednesday night.
The majority of the Independent senators spoke out against Government’s outrageous decision to postpone Local Government elections for the fourth consecutive year. Subash Ramkhelawan, Dana Seetahal, Helen Drayton and others gave the Government hell for having the nerve for not holding elections in 2006 as constitutionally due and for not providing reasonable grounds for postponing the polls.
When the vote was taken, the Government passed the bill by a 17-13 majority with one abstention .Most Independent senators voted against the bill with Michael Annisette, not unexpectedly, and Gail Merhair supporting the Government.
Earlier in the piece, Prime Minister indicated that most people were not really interest in Local Government elections but the delivery of services.