a fierce debate between MP Ronnie Brunswijk (ABOP) and the chairman of parliament, Ashwin Adhin (NDP). MP Brunswijk criticized the fact that the bills with plans for large scale reforms of the legislature are not presented by the government but by several legislators. He claimed that “this poses a problem because these bills require the political responsibility of the government. “It is unacceptable for the government to place its responsibilities on the shoulders of parliament,” said MP Brunswijk who added that he gets the impression that certain legislators act like extensions of the government without openly confirming it.

Chairman Adhin rejected Brunswijk’s accusation and emphasized that legislators have the constitutional right to present their own bills to parliament and that exercising this right does not mean that they are taking on the role of the government. “Nobody has the right to label others as government players when others make use of the constitutional options,” said Chairman Adhin who added that he takes action as chairman of parliament and not on behalf of the government. Chairman Adhin deemed it unjust and baseless to suggest that authorization is being abused. “You cannot prove that it is so,” Chairman Adhin told Brunswijk while urging him to choose his words carefully.

The tensions kept rising in the conference room as MP Brunswijk kept insisting that when fundamental reforms are discussed the government must take the lead and that it must also account publicly for its actions. MP Brunswijk claimed that the initiative legislation is being used to dodge political accountability. “The government must man up to defend its own laws here,” said MP Brunswijk. The chairman who had to intervene multiple times to restore order made it clear that there are no demonstrable grounds to claim that legislators are a using their right to present bills to parliament.