Following an embarrassing defeat of a motion to grant duty-free concessions to employees of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), Chairman of the committee of appointments Dr George Norton yesterday chose to heed the advice of his colleague Cathy Hughes and withdraw a motion to have the members of the Rights of the Child Commission (ROC) approved.
Norton had yesterday moved in Parliament that the Ninth Report of the Committee on Appointments in Relation to the appointment of members of the Rights of the Child Commission be adopted but members of the opposition signalled that they would not support the motion which Opposition Parliamentarian Juan Edghill told the House would require a two-thirds majority vote.
“It would save this assembly much useful time if the mover of the motion considers withdrawing it at this stage. This motion requires a two-thirds majority and for a motion of this nature to come to the House without consensus is to create a difficulty. To bring the motion without assurance that it enjoys the support of the entire house is to create an unnecessary crisis,” Edghill said before reminding that if defeated the motion would be unable to return until the 12th Parliament.