Impeach them - Smith calls for sanctions for politicians who break the law

Barrington Flemming, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU

DEPUTY SPEAKER of the House of Representatives and member of parliament (MP) for Central St James, Lloyd B. Smith, is advocating for legislation to be enacted to recall delinquent politicians. He also wants lawmakers who break the law to be impeached.

"We have a system in Jamaica that once you are elected, you sit there for the five years. It should not be like that. We should establish criteria of performance. If you don't perform, if you cannot deal with what is there, get out, and the people must be in a position to ask you to get out," Smith declared.

Smith, who was addressing the Rotary Club of Montego Bay East on Thursday, also called for the role of the MP to be redefined to ensure they become more effective.

"If the current political system is to become more effective and customer friendly, there has to be a restructuring of the political system to ensure that the MP carries out the functions that he or she has been elected to do. There should be set performance criteria."