By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

OPPOSITION Leader Michael Pintard yesterday warned that oversized Cabinets undermine Parliament’s independence by limiting the number of truly independent voices in the legislature and its committees.

Speaking at the 47th Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas, and the Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Mr Pintard said democracy is only as strong as the independence of its institutions. At the heart of that independence, he added, is the legislature, where laws are debated, policies scrutinised, and the people’s voice protected from executive overreach.

“This principle is written into our own constitution, which requires that the Cabinet remains collectively responsible to the Parliament, which is why one of the main mandates that we still ought to pursue and achieve is to ensure that cabinets discontinue being larger than the backbench,” he said. “That responsibility demands honesty in reporting, transparency in spending and strict adherence to rules designed to guard the public purse. It is not optional. It is a duty owed to the people.”

He added that an independent Parliament also relies on presiding officers — the Senate President and the House Speaker — who should not function as extensions of the executive.

“Our Parliament faced structural challenges that undermine their independence, among them, oversized cabinets which limit the members of truly independent voices in the legislature and committees that often lack the authority and resources to provide real oversight,” he said.

The Davis administration faced criticism in 2021 after swearing in a 22-member Cabinet, including state ministers, following its general election victory. Thirty-two Progressive Liberal Party candidates were elected, compared to 19 ministers in the previous Minnis administration.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis defended the decision at the time, saying he wanted more “hands on deck” given the country’s enormous challenges.

“I know everyone is trying to distract from our job at hand,” he said then. “The enormity of the task at hand is what caused me to select the number of persons that I have.”

“It is to reflect the enormity of challenges I have and all hands are need on deck.”

“Our country is in crisis. These challenges are unprecedented in scale and scope, in breadth and depth. First of all you need to make sure you have a team in place that is heavily focused on the things you wish to get done.”