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| Last updated at 3:01 PM on 29/08/07 |
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Members of the House of Assembly Management Commission held its first meeting today. From left are: Opposition House Leader Kelvin Parsons, Liberal Leader Gerry Reid, Topsail MHA Elizabeth Matthews, Finance Minister Tom Marshall, and NDP Leader Lorraine Michael. Missing from photo is Government House Leader Tom Rideout. — Photo by Gary Hebbard/The Telegram |
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Commission holds first meeting  
TERRY ROBERTS
The Telegram
The new House of Assembly Management Commission held its first meeting today in an unprecedented atmosphere of openness and accountability.
Television cameras broadcast their discussions province-wide and members of the media were even invited to bring their cameras onto the floor of the legislature, a scenario that is usually unheard of.
Outside the legislature, commission members proudly touted sweeping changes to the way MHA spending and the affairs of the House of Assembly are administered.
They called the new system the best in the country, a role model for others to emulate, and a big step in the process of restoring public confidence in a political system that has been rocked by a spending scandal that has led to fraud-related criminal charges against four current or former politicians and one high-ranking public servant.
The new commission replaces the secretive Internal Economy Commission (IEC) and was created following a sweeping review by Chief Justice Derek Green. His recommendations are included in the new House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act, which was passed into law by the legislature this past spring.
“We are now leaders in the country in terms of integrity of our system,” said Speaker of the House Harvey Hodder.
Wednesday’s meeting was especially meaningful for commission member and Topsail MHA Elizabeth Marshall.
Marshall was the province’s auditor general when the decision was made by the IEC to block her officials from reviewing the affairs of the legislature.
She described Wednesday’s meeting as the continuation of a “journey” that she believes will continue for at least another year before full confidence is restored in the system.
She said it’s “sad” that it took a spending scandal to bring about such sweeping changes, but she’s certain that the new Act is “very good.”
“I feel privileged to be a part of this commission,” she added.
troberts@thetelegram.com
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29/08/07
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