Chastanet Urges Less Picong, Better Decorum In Parliament

Opposition leader Allen Chastanet has advocated reducing ‘picong’ and improving decorum in parliament. He suggested there should be less time for ‘politicking’, which belongs to the political platform. “I think the political leader has a significant amount of influence and I think it is to set that example,” the Micoud South MP told the radio call-in programme, Newsspin, on Wednesday. Chastanet has underscored that proper parliamentary etiquette is crucial for the Saint Lucia Constitution to function more effectively and for the nation to achieve better representation. “The rules of the House are not there to protect people,” he told Newsspin. According to the opposition leader, the House rules exist to ensure that information is delivered to the public truthfully and properly, without being tainted or overly politicised. Chastanet has acknowledged that many citizens have grown accustomed to the banter in the House of Assembly. Nevertheless, Chastanet was unsure whether it served the public and contributed to national development. He indicated that less banter might make parliament boring. “But I think it is probably going to cause people to hone in on their ability to speak and their rhetoric and to find better ways to describe bad behaviour,” he stated. Chastanet...