MPs continue to sneak out of parliamentary deliberations
09-07-2013 12:27 PM
Ammon News - AMMONNEWS - Lower House speaker Saad Hayel Srour on Tuesday blasted members of parliament who walked out of Tuesday's morning parliamentary session dedicated to deliberate on the Social Security Law.
Srour called on MPs to commit to attending the sessions, noting that the morning session commenced with 92 MPs present, and only an hour later, there were 77 remaining under the dome.
15 MPs left the session during the deliberations.
Tuesday's incident comes a week after the Lower House Speaker adjourned a session last Tuesday which was scheduled to deliberate on the social security law because of a lack of quorum.
The non-fulfilment of the House's quorum last Tuesday prompted veteran MP Khalil Attiyah to propose docking MPs' pay by JD 300 for their absence from "one of the most important laws" deliberated by parliament.
The recurring quorum-busting episodes at House sessions also promoted House Speaker Srour to open Tuesday's session by urging MPs to remain present for deliberations.
"It does not make sense that a 150-member House can't secure a quorum," Srour said in opening the session.
Srour called on MPs "who are at home" or those who are handling their business to commit to attendance, "We either commit to the work we were elected to do or stay in our homes," he said last week.