Emergency sittings of Parliament called for next Monday; sources believe Honours Act will be amended to correct current breach

Emergency sittings of the Lower and Upper Houses of Parliament
will be held in the morning and afternoon of Monday, October 23.

The electronic notice to all Parliamentarians went out this
afternoon, October 19, taking the Members of the United
Progressive Party by surprise.

Up to press time, a hard copy of the notice was still pending, and the
Members said they had no idea of what is on the Order Paper
(agenda).

However, sources tell REAL News they believe the emergency
sittings are being convened to “make what is wrong right – again.”
They are referring specifically to the breach of the Honours Act, the
legislation that determines the composition of the Honours
Committee.

While the law stipulates that only two senators – including one from
the Opposition Bench – are to be appointed to the Committee, the
present composition has three members of the Upper House – two
from the Government side in the persons of Majority Leader
Samantha Marshall and Mary-Clare Hurst.

Accordingly, the sources suspect that the legislation will be
amended in order not to invalidate the votes taken on this year’s
awardees, who include Attorney-General Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin,
who has been nominated for a knighthood on November 1,
Independence Day.