by Linda Straker
- Lower House committees are bipartisan
- Thomas was appointed to serve on Standing Orders, House Committee and Committee of Privileges
- Confirmed resignation from 3 committees appointed on 29 September 2022
Delma Thomas, Member of Parliament for St Andrew North West who crossed the floor and became a member of the Government side, confirmed that she resigned from the Lower House of Parliament committees, which she was appointed to while she was a member of the elected opposition.
“Yes, I did with the Speaker of the House,” she responded via WhatsApp when asked to confirm her resignation from 3 committees appointed on 29 September 2022.
Committees in the Lower House are bipartisan and comprise equal numbers of people from both the opposition and government sides. The renaming of the committees will have to be done during a sitting of the Lower House.
Except for the Public Accounts Committee, the Speaker of the House is usually the chairman of each committee, of either 3 or 5 members. Thomas was appointed to serve on the Standing Orders and House Committee and the Committee of Privileges.
The House Committee has to consider from time to time and report on all matters relating to the Standing Orders referred to by the House. The committee shall not have the power to send for persons, papers, and records unless the House resolves.
The House Committee’s duty is to consider and advise the Speaker on all matters connected with the comfort and convenience of Members. That committee shall not have the power to send for persons, papers, and records unless the House so resolves.
The Committee of Privileges shall be referred to on any matter which appears to affect the powers and privileges of the House. It shall be the committee’s duty to consider any such matter referred to them and report on them to the House. That committee shall not have the power to send for persons, papers, and records unless the House so resolves.
