OPPOSITION Leader Pennelope Beckles has said that former People’s National Movement (PNM) senator Janelle John-Bates’ political career has not ended with her being removed from the Senate.
She added that while John-Bates was not currently in the Upper House, this did not mean that she could not return to the Senate.
Beckles made these remarks as she delivered the feature address at the PNM’s National Women’s League Membership Meeting and Afternoon Tea at the Fyzabad Regional Community Complex on Saturday.
“(John-Bates’) political career hasn’t ended because she’s not in the Senate anymore.
She’s not in the Senate at this time. It don’t mean she can’t go back in the Senate,” she said.
Noting her own political trajectory, Beckles said that she was removed from the Senate on two occasions.
“Let me remind you all: I was removed from the Senate in 1998 and I was also removed from the Senate in 2013. I am the Political Leader of the PNM today,” she noted.
She added that while “everybody could make mistakes”, members of the PNM were held to “a different standard”.
“The United National Congress (UNC) that has a lot of…corrupt people, sitting in the House, people on bail,—you know it is alright for them to sit down there.
“It have those who are there following Commissions of Enquiry. It have them cussing people morning, noon and night, but you know it is okay for them to be there,” she continued.
Last Friday, at the start of the Senate, John-Bates was replaced on the Opposition Bench by Attorney Dr Margaret Satya Rose. The decision to replace her follows a controversy in April, after it was revealed that whilst a member of the Public Administration and Appropriations Committee (PAAC), during an inquiry into the procurement of pharmaceuticals for the public health service, she assisted former health minister Terrence Deyalsingh in editing a statement intended for submission to the committee.
It was also revealed that PNM Senator Faris Al-Rawi was involved in the preparation of the statement, though he had pointed out he was Deyalsingh’s attorney.
Both John-Bates and Al-Rawi were referred to the Parliament’s Privileges Committee by Government Senator David Nakhid. However, neither was investigated, as the matter lapsed with the conclusion of the First Session of the 13th Republican Parliament on May 22.
John-Bates was removed from the PAAC and the Joint Select Committee (JSC) on National Security.
She resigned from the Senate on May 1, and for weeks Beckles declined to confirm whether she would be removed, drawing criticism from the Government and concern from political analysts over the delay.
