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PuertoRicoWOW News Service

NPP House Delegation Complains Of Mistreatment

by Proviana Colon Diaz

January 24, 2001
Copyright © 2001 PuertoRicoWOW News Service. All Rights Reserved.

The New Progressive Party (NPP) minority delegation at the House has asked their legal advisers to study what can be done to get more representation within committees after Speaker Carlos Vizcarrondo reduced the seats assigned to their party by one spot.

After a Wednesday afternoon caucus meeting, House Minority Leader Edison Misla Aldarondo, (NPP-at large), said that by making Puerto Rican Independence Party (PIP) Rep. Victor Garcia San Inocencio a member of all committees, Vizcarrondo took one spot from his delegation.

Because Garcia San Inocencio is head of the one-person PIP minority in the House, he already is a member of all committees. But because Vizcarrondo named him to the ex-officio spot in all committees, he took that post away from the NPP minority.

"For some reason, which we can't begin to understand, they want to give Victor Garcia San Inocencio, who is already a member of all committees, the ex-officio spot in all committees. This we believe is vicious and unnecessary and results in taking one spot away from the NPP," Misla Aldarondo said.

As an example, he said one committee usually has six members from the majority Popular Democratic Party (PDP) and three from the minority, which would be occupied by the NPP. But because Garcia San Inocencio becomes an ex-officio member, the NPP will only have two seats in the committee.

To prevent this from happening, Misla Aldarondo said he is seeking legal advice.

Also Wednesday, Misla Aldarondo denounced the unfair treatment received by the minority from the PDP majority during legislative sessions, when they are constantly refused their right to speak.

Misla Aldarondo said during his tenure as speaker the then-PDP minority had 16 representatives and the NPP had 37 members and he never refused any of the minorities their right to speak.

"If you have the majority to approve a measure, why won't you recognize the [minority's] right to speak. It's not a privilege [to speak], it is a right. You let the minority speak and then you vote on the measure. But here we are not even being given the right to speak for the record and that is dangerous," Misla Aldarondo said.shcrofts, a President who's got the moves has to be a good thing.

More power to Ricky!

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