Let us understand the role of Parliamentarians

Introduction

As we come closer to elections, there will be a lot of promises made by both sides of the political fences. However, the truth is there are some things that the Parliamentarians can do and there are some things they cannot do.  I blame the politicians to a certain extent because they mislead the electorate. I also believe that some of the politicians especially, the newcomers do not understand how Government works.

This article will be a two-part series. The first part will be about what Parliamentarians can do, and the second part will be about Parliamentarians cannot do.

They can you tell you the truth and educate the public how Government works.

Politicians must tell the people the truth. Do not lead anyone on. Do not make any promises you cannot deliver. If you cannot do something, be honest and tell the people you cannot. In fact, those politicians who knows how Government works should explain to the people how Government works.

They can set up an office

I think all elected officials should set up an office in each constituency and the at large candidates should make themselves available in these offices. They should clear their calendar for at least one day out of the week, where they can meet with individuals to hear and address their concerns.

They can consult with the people

I really think before any legislation is passed; we should engage with the people. Let the people know what you intend to pass and hear their thoughts.

They should communicate with the people as often as possible. Having meetings via Facebook is not enough.

They can pass legislation

One of the main roles of parliamentarians is policy makers. Politicians can pass legislation and amend existing legislation. However, they agree and discuss the laws in the cabinet first and then present them to the House of Assembly so that all members can vote on accepting or rejecting the laws. The Parliamentarians should study and examine the bills carefully for themselves.

The bank-benchers and opposition members though can present private motions and bills to the House of Assembly.

They can create policies

In addition to making laws, parliamentarians can also create policies. Policies can be made to empower Turks and Caicos Islanders such as free tuition to the Community College.

They can do price control

There is a lot of arguments for and against price control. However, the Politicians do have the power to implement price controls. However, both political parties in TCI have yet to implement price controls. They believe the market should dictate the prices.

They can appoint individuals to Boards

Parliamentarians have the power to appoint individuals to the various Boards. I think this is a great opportunity for Parliamentarians to shine by appointing the best people to the Boards no matter their political affiliation. It is a practice in the past by both political parties to appoint only persons who are affiliated with their party. There are one or two Boards that required an appointment based on advice from the Opposition.

They can provide funding for capital and recurrent expenditure

Another major role of the parliamentarians is to pass the budget in the House of Assembly. The budget will cover the funding for capital and recurrent expenditure. The budget will cover the capital expenditure such as road works and other infrastructure. The recurrent expenditure will cover the salaries paid to existing employees and the new positions created. The budget also provides the resources for the Police Department to tackle crime. The budget will also cover scholarships.

Conclusion

I hope this clarifies on what some things that Parliamentarians can do. There is a lot of misunderstanding on the role of Parliamentarians. Our next article will talk about things they cannot do.