No-show by Parliament's social development body members results in cancellation of committee meeting

A MEETING of the Human Resources and Social Development Committee (HRSDC) of Parliament yesterday had to be cancelled as the committee comprising 11 members could not find them to form a quorum.

At least 12 persons, including Carol Palmer, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Justice and officials from her ministry, as well as other Jamaicans who had been invited to make presentations on a Green Paper setting out the National Youth Policy for 2015-2030, had to leave without making their contributions.

The only committee member who was present at 10 a.m, the time set for the meeting to begin, was Shahine Robinson. At 10:34 in the morning, another member of the committee, Marisa Dalrymple Philibert, entered the chamber.

The government technocrats and other persons who came prepared to make their presentations had to wait in the chamber for nearly 45 minutes for the arrival of committee chairman Rudyard Spencer, who failed to show.

Committee clerk Chesanne Brandon told the government officials and others that the meeting would have to be suspended as a quorum of three could not be found.

Efforts to reach Spencer were unsuccessful.

Last week, Spencer left before the meeting started as he reportedly had to deal with an emergency in his constituency.

Register for HRSDC members

- Ruddy Spencer - chairman - absent

- Anthony Hylton - absent

- Richard Parchment - absent

- Denise Daley - absent

-Jolyan Silvera - absent

- Dayton Campbell - absent

- Keith Walford - absent

- Hugh Buchanan - absent

- Olivia Grange - absent

- Marisa Philibert - present (but 34 minutes late)

- Shahine Robinson - present (and on time)