For deputies, "Food comes first"

[NewsWhore]

Apparently in the spirit of one of their party slogans, members of the Chamber of Deputies prefer to eat instead of working on pending legislation. For the 18th time in 49 sessions the deputies failed to make a quorum and the session was recessed. Congress leader Julio Cesar Valentin's efforts to work through the 35-point agenda came to a halt after deputies voted on just two of the issues. All this comes after a two-month recess during which the deputies continued to receive their much-envied salaries. According to Diario Libre, three votes were cast, but the absence of a quorum rendered them invalid, even after waiting for the required five minutes. When Valentin tried, once again, to obtain a roll call vote, the lack of a quorum forced him to recess the session, much to his displeasure. Valentin ordered the deputies' restaurant to be closed between the hours of 11:00am and 3:00pm, and this, according to Valentin, should give the deputies enough time to clear the agenda. Diario Libre says that statistics from the Chamber of Deputies show that close to 37% of the sessions have been recessed due to a lack of quorum during votes. Valentin spoke with PRSC and PRD leaders in order to reach a consensus about the restaurant's closure.
Deputy Pelegrin Castillo explained today on the 106.5 FM radio talk show of Rafael Molina Morillo that party politics are behind the no shows. The PLD is majority in Congress and its deputies are divided by adhesions to President Fernandez who is expected to seek reelection and former Secretary of the Presidency, Danilo Medina, who is actively campaigning to be chosen the PLD candidate in the 2008 presidential election.

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