And while the PM has back problems - he's only missed one house meeting in ten years; compare that to his former deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega who has missed 7 successive meetings since he resigned form Cabinet in October. We asked the Prime Minister if Vega will ever be back, and what happens if he doesn't return:...
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"As to his missing, that is something you should talk to him about. I don't know why it is that he has not been attending the meetings, but as to penalties, no. Because as I recollect you would lose your seat if you missed 6 consecutive meetings in a 3-month period. So I am sure he is aware of the rule and is making very sure that he will not violate the rule."
"It is my sense that Hon. Vega does not intend to give up his constituency, does not intend to resign his seat and I suspect and believe that it is just a matter of time before he starts reappearing in the National Assembly."
Jules Vasquez, 7 News
"Even at that far remove at the back?"
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"But he is not, anyway I don't want to rat the clerk of the national assembly, but nobody gave any instructions for that name plate to be move and put there and in fact when I ask the clerk how do you come up with that and no satisfactory answer were forthcoming, I had it move."
Vega's seat on the backbench was previously at the far end where Elvin Penner was placed after his scandal, but it has now been moved closer to the other backbenchers.
Email
Print