JAMAICA | MP Brown Burke lashes Speaker for quashing her Private Members Motion tabled three years ago.

KINGSTON, Jamaica. October 2, 2023: Member of Parliament for South West St. Andrew Dr. Angela Brown-Burke has lashed out at the Speaker of the House for the almost three year delay in debating her Private Member's Motion regarding the equitable distribution of benefits she initially tabled in November 2020.

The  motion sought to initiate discussion on the establishment of a National Oversight Committee responsible for monitoring the distribution and benefits of state resources, with a focus on ensuring fairness and equity.

In addition, the motion calls for the committee's attention to be directed towards several critical areas, including the distribution of PATH benefits, aligning them with the national poverty map and the survey of living conditions. 

Additionally, it addresses the equitable allocation of tablets to school children, recruitment processes for positions in the Jamaica Defence Force, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Jamaica Fire Brigade, as well as Community Health Workers and other government positions, both at the national and local government levels.

Dr Brown-Burke says she is alarmed by the continued delay in addressing this important matter, especially given the recent dubious assertions by the new Speaker of the House, MP Juliet Holness, which claims that time had already been allocated for these discussions.

In her recent letter to the Clerk of the Houses of Parliament, Dr Brown-Burke urged an end to the routine practice of this JLP Administration to allow Private Members' Motions to languish on Parliament's table. She stressed the urgency of respecting members' concerns by facilitating discussions within a reasonable timeframe.

The absence of a debate on this motion has resulted in a nearly three-year gap without the country moving closer to having essential information available, even in summary form, at the parish, constituency, divisional, or community levels. 

Dr. Brown Burke highlighted the relevance of this issue in light of the Auditor General's Report on the 2016 Pre-Local Government Election's $600 million debushing programme, emphasizing issues of accountability and value for money.

Given the recent significant allocations for compassionate grants, sports programmes, and town centre cleaning, announced just ahead of the announcement of impending elections, Ms. Brown Burke believes that this matter should be at the forefront of national priorities.

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