Speaker of the House of Assembly Corine N. George-Massicote is championing a new bill which seeks to increase the authority of the HoA. Photo: YouTube

(L-R) Talking Points Co-host Damion C. Grange and Violet Thomas Gaul, guest Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) and Co-host Elvin Grant. Photo: Facebook

Hon Penn, who was the guest on Talking Points on Monday, April 7, 2025, on ZBVI 270 AM, revealed this while responding to statements made by Co-host Elvin G. Grant. 

Grant said during the conversation with Hon Penn, which began with the current US tariffs, that one of the things he finds striking is the lack of legislative frameworks to enforce certain things to happen. 

“For example, we don’t have a freedom of information legislation, so no member of the public can demand certain bits of information, and successive governments have put it on their manifesto, but it has never seen the light of day. Here we are now, and the situation is passed due, and we’re still talking about how do we get people together, how do we hold people accountable and we force people to do this and it seems as though we’re just operating from behind.”

Hon Penn agreed with Grant, telling him there is currently no legislative framework in place to “force” the Premier to do anything. Instead, he said that in its absence, all that can be done is advocacy in the House of Assembly (HoA), most times by asking questions to which government members choose not to answer even when asked by the Speaker of the House to do so. 

People 'frustrated' with current approach- Grant

Pushing back, Grant said that according to what he has read in the constitution, any member of the House can move a motion and bring legislation. 

“While the government is the primary mover of their agenda, why can’t a member of the Opposition, for example, move a motion to have the Trade Commission reconstituted…If you just keep saying we can’t really do a whole lot, then that puts the government back into the driver's seat, and I think people are frustrated with that approach.”

Hon Penn said that while any member of the House can bring forward motions for debate, the process for legislation is different. 

HoA to be revamped- Hon Penn

Hon Penn added that the HoA is currently going through a revamping process. 

“We are bringing new legislation to the House to really put the House of Assembly, in terms of a level of independence, to give the house more power to do a lot more than we can right now.”

The current Staning Order, he said, are not clear in terms of the process for things like Private Members’ Bills, which, according to him, can be a very laborious process. 

“We’re endeavouring to fix that aspect of it through this new bill that we’re bringing to the House in terms of the way we constitute the House of Assembly.”

Asked by Grant when this will see the “light of day”, Hon Penn said soon and revealed that the Speaker of the HoA Corine N. George-Massicote is championing this process. 

“We got a draft bill from the Speaker I think a month and a half ago, and the intention is to have it before the House before the end of the first quarter..so then it could go out for public consultation. The speaker plans to have it passed before August,” Hon Penn clarified.