READERS OF The Gavel have been clamouring for us to call for a resumption of the sitting of Parliament. This was long before the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) called for an immediate resumption of parliamentary sittings.

Truth be told, we began penning that piece last week and abandoned it. We are just not convinced that a resumption of Parliament would advance the cause of the Jamaican people one inch.

We have found little evidence, at least not in recent times, of any great degree of seriousness and commitment to the country's affairs by elected members of parliament (Mps).

operating without a clear legislative agenda

Mair

The Gavel has been at pains to point out that this Parliament has been operating without a clear legislative agenda. We challenge the House to proudly hold up a list of its achievement since members took their seat in September 2007.

Some people have the impression that The Gavel is clobbering the Bruce Golding government, but we remind readers that the composition of the House is 32-28 and, therefore, the failure or success of the Parliament is collective.

Nearly two years into the life of this Parliament, the Order Paper continues to be saturated with unfinished business with seemingly little effort to reduce the pile-up. Similarly, the legislative accom-plishments are nothing to smile about. Aside from a plethora of run-of-the-mill amendments, there are few revolutionary pieces of legislation of which this new Parliament can boast.

Davies and Ferguson

We celebrate the fact that Parliament has been able to pass the Sexual Offences Bill, among few others this year. But what has happened to the six crime bills? The fact that after one year they remain covered with dust on some table speaks volumes about the commitment of our leaders to consensus and common ground.

But The Gavel is not surprised at the lack of progress in the House. Jamaica has been speaking about constitutional reform since 1977, and that is nowhere closer than when the issue was first raised.

Just a cursory glance at the Order Paper will show that there are 27 private members' motions that have been moved in the House and which still remain on the books. Chances are many will never get debated because history has demonstrated that our parliamentarians have mastered the art of time-wasting in the House.

Time and again, The Gavel has warned that we are facing tough times and that all MPs must, for once, buckle down and do some work.

time-wasting as usual

Audley Shaw Minister of Finance and the Public Service tabled a $548-billion budget in Parliament April 23, 2009. - Norman Grindley /Chief Photographer

Despite our warnings, it was time-wasting as usual - heckling, if one can call the verbal onslaughts on each other that - as well as witless cheerleading and grandstanding.

We begged for the House to scrap the imprudent exercise known as the Sectoral Debate - a debate in which objectives and routes are thoroughly debated and agreed upon after in-depth research and careful analysis - restructure it in such a way that the country could clearly see the desired goals and targeted policies.

However, we were ignored, because every member wanted an opportunity to hear himself or herself and get his or her name recorded in Hansard as having made a contribution.

The Gavel has long warned that time wasted could never be regained. We were ignored. The Government and Opposition were too busy playing election hopscotch while flies took up residence in the people's business.

Certainly, the economic crisis did not arrive on our shores yesterday. In fact, the Government said that it would have been an opportunity for Jamaica. History will record that as an error of judgement. Even though it was clear that Jamaica was in danger of slipping into the abyss of nowhere, the majority of members have merely turned up to the House, warmed benches, cracked jokes or traded insults, and then made a few brief lukewarm interventions.

We wish Jamaica had more Ronald Thwaiteses, Bruce Goldings, Fenton Fergusons, Omar Davies, Morais Guys, Gregory Mairs and Peter Phillipses in the House.

There are others who have demonstrated glimpses of brilliance, but for some reason, they lack consistency in doing the legislative work they begged Jamaicans to elect them to do.

If Parliament is to resume immediately, as the PNP, wants, it must be in the context of a renewed commitment to national development.

It cannot be for Pickersgill and company to just talk about the economic crisis without a com-prehensive legislative programme to advance all facets of Jamaican life.

The Gavel refuses to believe that the majority of MPs lack the capacity to bring transformative and visionary leadership to the House. It may not be good politics, but certainly, it is an important element of good governance.

thegavel@gleanerjm.com