THE LACK of a quorum on Thursday left four members of a parliamentary committee and about a dozen technical staff idle for at least an hour.

Senior legal counsel from the attorney general's chambers and other ministry personnel sat patiently for the deliberations of the committee to start, but this did not happen.

A meeting had been set to examine recommendations for improving the existing Access to Information law but, at 11 a.m., one hour after the scheduled start of the deliberations, the committee could not conduct official business as there were only four members in attendance. The quorum set for this committee is five members.

Chairman peeved

Daryl Vaz, chairman of the committee, who appeared peeved by the absence of some of his colleagues, had to suspend the meeting. He told those present that if committee members could not attend meetings, they should indicate to their respective parliamentary leaders that they wished to be relieved of their position.

"I won't be the one to spoon-feed anybody in relation to calling and begging and pleading for them to come," he said. "If they don't take the business of the country seriously, then they know what to do."

Vaz apologised to the support staff, members present and, by extension, the country, for the suspension of the sitting.

"This is totally unacceptable and embarrassing," he stressed.

At an earlier meeting of the committee, Vaz indicated that the Government was attempting to overhaul the Access to Information Act by the end of the current legislative year.

The next meeting will be held on November 19.