PHILIPSBURG--A proposal will soon be made to omit a word from the Electoral Ordinance, a deletion that will have major implications for Members of Parliament (MPs). The pending proposal from Democratic Party (DP) MP Sarah Wescot-Williams will call for full disclosure of all functions held by MPs.
The law at present only requires MPs to disclose, at the time of taking office, all the public functions they hold. This is aimed at ensuring they do not hold public appointments such as a post in the civil service or on the board of a government-owned company, and/or other appointment that conflict with that of a MP as stipulated in the Constitution.
Wescot-Williams told the press on Thursday, she will table a change to the legislature to delete the word “public” in the text as it relates to “all public functions” leaving the text to read simply “all functions.”
Her aim is for MPs to give full disclosure of all functions and posts held such as on non-governmental foundations, private companies and other such entities.
When addressing this small but impacting change to the Electoral Law, Wescot-Williams said she will also seek to address the full-time function of a MP. This is currently not clearly stated in the legislation and has allowed MPs to hold other posts that are permitted under the Constitution.
