Malaka Parker Calls on Government Senators to Uphold Scrutiny and Accountability Role
Newly sworn-in opposition senator Malaka Parker is calling on government senators to ensure the Upper House functions as a chamber of revision, scrutiny and accountability.
Speaking after taking the oaths of office, allegiance and secrecy on Monday at Government House, Parker said senators on the government bench should lead efforts to ensure proper oversight of legislation coming from the Lower House.
“What I’m asking in this moment is for the government senators to function in the true spirit of what that chamber is supposed to represent,” Parker said. “Who are in the majority and it is they who should really lead this idea of revision, of scrutiny, of holding the lower house to some level of accountability.”
Parker was formally sworn in by Deputy Governor General Sir Clare Roberts before a gathering of United Progressive Party supporters, union officials, family members and friends.
The former government senator, who previously served in the Upper House between 2009 and 2014, described her return to Parliament as both humbling and a major responsibility.
“I remain humble, and it is an awesome, awesome responsibility to stand in the halls of Parliament,” Parker said. “I treat it with reverence. I treat it with respect.”
She added that she intends to continue serving conscientiously during her latest tenure in the Senate.
During the ceremony, Sir Clare urged Parker to allow her service to be guided by “integrity, discipline, diligence, humility and a sincere desire to contribute positively to the development of Antigua and Barbuda and its people.”
Parker joins Chester Hughes, Jonathan Wenner and Ashworth Azille on the opposition bench in the Senate.
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Malakar Parker, keep on dreaming. The Government Senators are just a set of RUBBER STAMPS and the Independent one, PLEASE!
Welcome back to the cut and thrust of the political arena Ms Parker.
Scrutiny and financial transparency is the key in regaining the trust with the public; and if you are picking up where the Honourable Richard Lewis left off in inspections and investigations, then the country is in safe hands.
Again, all the best in your endeavours and wanting the best for Antigua & Barbuda 🇦🇬 , and shake up the ABLP “old boys” network.
TAKE THEM ON, THEN TAKE THEM DOWN…
@Malika.
The very first issue you should raise, is why the CEO of WIOC got detained and searched by the FBI, and what was the outcome of that arrest or the details intailed?
I’m sure people are very interested in knowing if their was any implications for the people of Antigua who have invested heavily in that company. ((WIOC).
I’ve been asking this for months now.
GB might not be beholden to me, but he is to the investors WIOC.
She needs to fight Pringle and lead the party she is a dedicated hard worker and looks out for those treated unfairly. Well atleast that’s the Malaka I knew 20 years ago working at FCIB. I don’t believe anything has changed so please fight for the leadership of the party and become Antigua’s first female PM. You stand a way better chance of leading UPP to victory because Pringle is a DUNCE…..
So Malaka “BEG BACK” Parker was FIRED by Baldwin “COOKS POND WATER” Spencer from the wicked scalding burning “sunshine government” Senate.
She left upp and take off with Joanne to join DNA all the while BADMOUTHING UPP.
She left DNA
Beg the pm for Ambassador position and was rejected.
She returned to her vomit UPP 🤢
Max put a beating on She
Pringle bypass Richard, Shugy, Pearl et al and appoint this HAS BEEN to the Senate that Cooks Pond Water fire She from
Life has really come full circle for this wannabe 😒 Pringle will soon fire she….or he just might keep her to run in Rural West since Richard days done!!!!
@Facts, I’m a fan of Ms. Parker; she took a principled stand against the CIP, but I agree with you. Richard, Suggy and Pearl should have been appointed.
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