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House of Assembly Debates

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House of Assembly Debates THE House of Assembly Debates (OFFICIAL REPORT) FIRST SESSION 1999 – 2004 HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY Hon. R. St. C. TOPPIN, LL.B., (Minister of Commerce, Consumer Affairs and Business Development) Tuesday, August 8, 2000 Mr. D. St. E. KELLMAN Miss H. E. THOMPSON, LL.B. Pursuant to the adjournment, the House of Assembly Mr. M. Z. WILLIAMS met at 11.20 p.m. on Tuesday, August 8, 2000. Mr. T. A. PRESCOD, B.A. Rev. J. J. S. ATHERLEY, B.A., B.Sc. (Parliamentary Secretary to the Attorney General and Minister of Home PRESENT Affairs) Mr. D. T. GILL, B.Sc. His Honour I. A. ROETT, B.A., Dip. Ed., (Speaker) Hon. N. A. LYNCH, B.Sc., M.B.A. (Minister of His Honour J. M. EDGHILL, J.P., (Deputy Speaker) Tourism and International Transport) Hon. Sir Henry FORDE, K.A., Q.C., M.A., LL.M. Hon. A. P. WOOD, J.P., B.Sc., M.Sc., M.Phil. (Cantab.) (Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development) Rt. Hon. O. S. ARTHUR, M.Sc. (Econ.) (Prime Hon. R. R. FARLEY, B.Sc. (Minister of Industry and Minister, Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs and International Business) Minister of the Civil Service) Hon. D. A. C. SIMMONS, Q.C., LL.M. (Attorney General and Minister of Home Affairs) (Leader of the Prayers were taken by Rev. J. J. S. ATHERLEY. House) Mr. D. J. H. THOMPSON, LL.B. (Hons.) (Leader of Mr. SPEAKER: The House is now in session. the Opposition) Hon. Sir HAROLD St. JOHN, K.A., Q.C., LL.B. MINUTES Mr. L. R. TULL, Q.C., M.A. (Oxon.) Hon. Dr. R. L. CHELTENHAM, Q.C., M.A., M.Sc. Mr. SPEAKER: The Minutes of Tuesday, July 25, (Econ.) 2000. Hon. Miss B.A. MILLER, (Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade) Mr. G. W. PAYNE, LL.B. Hon. D. A. C. SIMMONS: Mr. Speaker, I beg to Hon. R. C. EASTMOND, J.P., B.A. (Hons.), Dip. move that the Minutes for the Honourable the House of Ed., LL.B. (Hons.), L.E.C. (Minister of the Environment, Assembly for its meeting of Tuesday, July 25, 2000, which Energy and Natural Resources) Minutes have been circulated, be taken as read. Mr. D. CARTER (Chairman of Committees) Hon. R. N. GREENIDGE, B.A., LL.B., (Minister of Labour, Sports and Public Sector Reform) Hon. R. C. EASTMOND: I beg to second that, Sir. Hon. G. A. CLARKE, B.Sc., Dip. Ed., J.P. (Minister of Housing and Lands) Hon. R. D. MARSHALL (Minister of Public Works Mr. SPEAKER: If there are no corrections or and Transport) observations, then let these Minutes stand confirmed. August 8, 2000 2 ANNOUNCEMENTS matter of the supremacy of God in the lives of our people and in the development of this nation. Quite wisely, the Mr. SPEAKER: I am to report to this Honourable Commission disagreed with such a suggestion and in the House that I am in receipt of: revised preamble has, in fact, sustained that reference to the supremacy of God in terms of the development of our 1. The Accounts and Statements for the month of democratic traditions and institutions in this country. October 1999, and We cannot boast of the good of our past. We cannot 2. The Accounts and Statements for the financial boast of the valued experiences of our past. We cannot be year 1998-99 prepared by the Accountant informed and influenced by those good and valued General. experiences while at the same time wanting to find ourselves in a place where we exclude such a reference as one of the philosophical underpinnings of our constitutional system and SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS our democratic way of life. Hon. D. A. C. SIMMONS: Mr. Speaker, I beg to move that Standing Orders Nos. 6, 16, 18, 20, 42(5), 43 and 44 be I support heartily the position taken by the Commission suspended for the rest of this day’s Sitting. in maintaining this reference to the supremacy of God as one of the principles underpinning the development of life in this Hon. R. C. EASTMOND: I beg to second that. country. It is a historical fact and very much a rich and necessary part of our past, present and, indeed, our future The question was put and resolved in the affirmative experience as a country. To suggest that mention of the without division. supremacy of God is a term which is exclusive and would therefore provide a constitutional stipulation within the GOVERNMENT BUSINESS context of which sections of Barbadians who practise some religious faith would be excluded, is, I think, to miss the ORDER NO. 1 – RESOLUTION TO NOTE point that worship and acknowledgement of God is a THE REPORT OF THE CONSTITUTION universal thing. However we conceive our God, whoever we REVIEW COMMISSION perceive him to be, wherever we locate him, worship of God and acknowledgment of God in some form has been very Hon. D. A. C. SIMMONS: Mr. Speaker, you will recall much a part of the development of human life. that further consideration of this Resolution was postponed to a time convenient to the House. The Government desires Mention of God in itself, rather than being an exclusive to complete the debate on the Constitution Review reference, is in fact a very inclusive and all-embracing Commission’s Report today and as in the past I am advised reference. There are a majority of people who practise that arrangements have been made for the telecast of this religion in Barbados who style themselves as Christians and debate in accordance with the previous arrangement. I am they acknowledge Jehovah as their Lord God Almighty, but obliged to you. more so they are particularly known, and distinctively so, because of their allegiance to the person of Christ and the following of his teachings. It is that which makes them Rev. J. J. S. ATHERLEY: Mr. Speaker, I presume that Christians. It is that which sets them apart from other people it is an exercise in batting and the opening of the batting is a who practise and pursue other religious faiths and traditions. position to which I am accustomed. I have been fortunate to Christians are known because of their allegiance to the open the batting in no less prestigious and able company teachings and to the lordship of Jesus Christ. I am trying to than that of Desmond Haynes himself. Opening of the make a distinction here and to make it clear to us that this batting is therefore a familiar role to myself not necessarily matter of the supremacy of God, far from being an exclusive so opening the bowling. It is presumed that we are batting term is in fact very inclusive. What is exclusive and what is today, although my preferred place is in the middle of the distinctive in itself is the matter of being Christian because order. we are talking about allegiance to Christ as opposed to some other lord. I would want to make a contribution to the debate on the Report of the Constitution Reform Commission and Support for this particular mention of the Constitution perhaps a good place to start would be at some reference to Review Commission is a thing which is easily won from the Preamble of that Constitution. I make reference here myself and I would want in this regard to go a little further, because I think these matters are important and perhaps Mr. Speaker, and speak to the matter of support for the should not be lightly passed over. The Commission did religious faiths in this country on the part of Government. report that there were some suggestions that a revised It cannot escape our grasp that religious groups in this Constitution in its preamble should not make reference to the country have in the past played a vital role in the 3 August 8, 2000 development of the moral tone of this country and in the constitutional principles which we have adopted today. I development of civil life in this country. disagree with any mention that protection should be given to those with strange sexual preferences. It is a lifestyle that is Now that much of our traditional values, now that at odds with our value system and it is a life style which I much of what speaks to the good of our civic and civil life is believe provides a significant threat to long established challenged and threatened by external as well as internal family values in this country. factors, it stands to reason that every possible resource available to Government should be tapped in the struggle to maintain that which we treasure, that which we hold dearly, I would want to, therefore, make reference to those two that which has been traditionally good for us. points, the refusal to provide for protection of rights on the basis of sexual preference and the insistence that in the I think the religious groups in this country have a lot to Preamble of this Constitution we maintain that reference to offer in terms of assistance to Government in giving effect to the supremacy of God as a principle which underpins our its programme. I would like to repeat the call I earlier made way of life. for support of such groups and I would like to clarify a position which I earlier took and which was misrepresented, Mr. Speaker, I want to move beyond that. I want to and perhaps deliberately so, by some in this country. That is speak for a minute or so about this business of the to say, insofar as the Christian Church is the majority republican system of Government for Barbados.
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