PHILIPSBURG:--- During the Central Committee meeting on Friday, pointed questions were raised regarding the attendance and responsiveness of the Minister of VROMI (Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure) Patrice Gumbs Jr. The discussion, initiated by Member of Parliament Darryl York, centered on allegations of selective attendance at meetings and a significant backlog of unanswered inquiries, sparking a direct exchange on the floor.
Concerns Raised by MP York
MP York voiced strong concerns, suggesting that the Minister of VROMI, with the coalition's backing, appears to attend only meetings deemed important to them. He highlighted those crucial meetings on topics like infrastructure and housing, some requested as far back as April of the previous year, have not materialized.
York stated that numerous questions submitted to the minister have remained outstanding for over a year. He called for accountability, not just from the Minister, but also from the Presidium and the governing coalition. "Have an urgent coalition meeting, sit with your Ministers and let them know that, hey, we can't operate properly because of the lack of response or the lack of attending to important meetings of Parliament," he urged.
He further commented on what he perceived as procedural inconsistencies, noting that some coalition members receive "uninterrupted length of speaking time," while others feel rushed. This, he implied, contributes to a challenging environment for holding ministers accountable.
The Minister's Rebuttal
In response, the Minister addressed the allegations directly. Acknowledging the discussion, the Minister clarified the status of the missed meetings, stating that only one meeting on the housing policy is currently pending.
The Minister explained the timeline for the housing policy meeting request. The initial request in April of the prior year was met with the response that the policy was still under development. A subsequent update was requested in the summer, but the policy was still not finalized. The Ministry announced the policy's completion on December 10th. A meeting was then requested for that same week.
The Minister emphasized a key distinction: "Policies being ready don’t always equate that a presentation and the availability of the ministry is equated to that policy being finalized." He contested the image of him consistently missing meetings, framing it as a single pending meeting on one topic. He did, however, acknowledge that there were outstanding questions from several MPs.
A Counterargument with Facts
Following the Minister's response, MP York took the floor again to counter the claims, presenting specific data to support his initial statements. He asserted that parliamentary submissions, including letters and meeting requests, are officially registered with identification numbers (IS numbers).
Reading from a list, MP York cited numerous IS numbers representing, in his words, "all meetings and letters that have been sent to the minister over the past year that has not been replied to or adhered to or even respected." The list included IS 1302, 415, 853, 1057, 1319, 373, 276, 277, 187, 1298, 406, and 405.
He directly challenged the Minister's claim of only one pending meeting request. He specified that IS 1057 was a meeting request about housing, IS 406 concerned infrastructure and traffic congestion, and IS 405 was about flood management. "The facts contradict the statement that the minister made so thoroughly," York declared.
Furthermore, he questioned the Minister's reasoning for delaying the housing policy discussion. "If a policy is far enough to disclose it on the Tribune and in the Herald," he argued, "then it's far enough for you to come to Parliament and explain it to the people."
The exchange highlights a significant point of friction within Parliament, focusing on ministerial accountability, transparency, and the operational procedures that ensure the legislative body can effectively carry out its oversight duties. As the matter stands, the documented requests presented by MP York contrast with the Minister's account, leaving critical questions about communication and responsiveness unresolved.
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