Honourable Glynis Roberts
Member for St. George's South
C/O Office of the Leader of the Opposition
TAWU House
Green Street
St.George

Dear Honourable Member for St. George's South:

Re: Election of Grenada to the Executive Committee- FIPA official nomination

We refer to your letter dated 12th September, 2005 which said letter was first brought to our attention via publication in the September 16, 2005 issue of the "Grenada Today" newspaper.

The fact that a letter coming from a Member of Parliament and addressed to the Presiding Officers of both Houses of the Parliament of Grenada was published in a newspaper, prior to their personal receipt thereof, is by itself reprehensible and unbecoming conduct for a member of any Parliament.

Moreover, by the publication of the letter in a newspaper and of the serious allegations contained therein, it must have been intended to cast aspersions against the character and conduct of the Presiding Officers, and to draw their respective offices into public contempt, odium and disrepute.

In that letter, you made the allegation that we wrote to the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas (FIPA), and represented by implication to that body, that the Parliament of Grenada took the decision to nominate Honourable Senator Brenda Hood as Grenada's Representative on the Executive Committee of FIPA.

We state categorically, that nowhere in our correspondence to the FIPA President, did we represent either expressly or impliedly, that the nomination of Honourable Senator Brenda Hood to serve as a member on the Executive Committee of FIPA was a decision of the Parliament of Grenada.

From our review, the FIPA Regulations do not require any parliament, legislature or congress to take a decision on who is to become the State's nominee on the FIPA Executive.

All that is required is that the parliament, legislature or Congress provide written communication to the chair, as to the name of the Parliamentary Delegate who shall serve as its Member on the Executive Committee. (See Regulation 2.3 (h).

At the Annual General Meeting of the Grenada Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, held on 19th August, 2005 which you attended, you will recall the lengthy discussion which ensued on the issue of the selection process for Members of Parliament to attend conferences.

Before the close of that meeting, it was conceded that the leadership must be involved in the selection process, and it was agreed by all members in attendance, including members of the opposition that a standard procedure be henceforth adopted with respect to attendance at conferences.

Parliament comprises Government and Opposition Members together with "Independent" Senators. It is our view, not being contrary to international practice, that the Government being the majority in Parliament, must be allowed to have the final decision on any nominee intended to represent Grenada on the Executive of any international body, including FIPA.

Taking all these matters into consideration, including the relevant FIPA Regulations, we, the Presiding Officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives jointly communicated to the President of FIPA, the name of the parliamentary delegate to serve as a member on the Executive Committee.

For your own benefit, we herein inform you that FIPA in principle does not interfere with the process of selecting members to the Executive. We refer you to Regulation 2.3 (1) which states as follows: "each sub-region shall be free to decide on the method of its choice for electing members to the Executive Committee.

We are also deeply disturbed by your allegation that we made a representation to FIPA, knowing it to be false, in other words, you have accused the Presiding Officers of deliberately telling an untruth, and knowing it to be untrue, an act which, if placed in a different context, can be regarded as the commission of a criminal offence.

We view the contents of your letter with considerable regret, and as an act of gross disrespect, not only to the holders of the office, but to the officers themselves, the importance of which was sufficiently significant, that the Constitution of our State made special provisions thereof.

That prominence and sobriety attached to these offices are reinforced by the Legislature (Privileges, Immunities and Powers), Act Cap 168 of the laws of Grenada. (see Sections 3 and 32).

An accusation of bias is never to be taken lightly by a Presiding Officer, even in the confines of the Chamber, far less in the public domain where, by the very nature of our office, we are restricted in a full defense of ourselves other than in a Court of Law. As Presiding Officers, we are of the opinion, that it is not only The Parliament of Grenada that has been embarrassed by your actions, but the very prestigious body of FIPA itself, and by extension, its Honourable President, whose letter of 28th June, 2005 to ourselves could not have been intended to create such an unwarranted public impasse.

We therefore expect from you, Honourable Member for St. George's South, an apology tendered to our respective offices, with like circulation as your letter of 12th September, 2005, as the appropriate step towards reparation of the injurious attack on ourselves as Presiding Officers of the Parliament of Grenada.

At the end of it all, our duty as Members of Parliament is to serve our country, beyond personal ambitions, without fear or favour, ill-will or affection, and in accordance with the tenets of our sworn oath before God.

Yours respectfully,

Senator the Honourable Leslie-Ann Seon
President of the Senate

Honourable Lawrence A Joseph
Speaker, House of Representatives.

Cc: All Parliamentarians.