Parliament can fix it, but, would they?

In another of her incisive discourses, published in the Trinidad Express of December 24th 2007, Professor Dr. Mary King lambastes the Patrick Manning administration for its indecent haste in signing the European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) before our Parliament agreed to it. In other words, in this matter, the executive arms of government adhered merely to the letter of our law, which allows them so to sign, while shunning the spirit of our law, which requires them to be subject to us, the people, through our Parliament.

Such a situation shall, in future, repeatedly recur, until and unless there be a complete shift in our constitutional paradigms.

We proudly proclaim that Trinidad and Tobago is a democratic country. Well! That be the case, then no government of ours must be allowed to enter into any treaty/agreement with any foreign entity unless we, the people, freely agree. I make such statement with the clear proviso that, for us, the people, to agree, we must have prior and complete knowledge of the contents and intents of every such agreement. Where oligarchy, monocracy or dictatorship exists, otherwise is the case and vice versa!

In her article, Professor Dr. King's also and rightly so, rhetorically asks:

"Is our political executive knowledgeable and mature enough to maintain the responsibility of signing binding trade agreements on our behalf without parliamentary oversight and permission?"

Though, in Trinidad and Tobago, there be no real difference between the political executive and Parliament, yet I call upon the elected Members of Parliament forthwith to reject and repudiate what the Executive has done in this matter! They can and will so do if they heed the advice given to the just-appointed independent Senators by new Senate president, The Honourable Danny Montano, to wit, that they must speak for themselves when discharging their parliamentary duties.

In the meantime, may God help us in Trinidad and Tobago!