THE COUNTRY'S legislators did not hold their weekly parliamentary sitting yesterday despite a raft of bills and private-members' motions to be debated.

At the same time the parliamentary clock is ticking fast towards March 31, the day Parliament prorogues, signalling the end of the 2008/2009 legislative year.

Acting leader of government business in the House, Andrew Gallimore told The Gleaner yesterday that when the House adjourned on March 3, no date was set for a meeting. He said while the government side was willing to meet and attend to the nation's business, there was no guarantee that opposition members would turn up based on their poor attendance last week.

"Last week, at the end of the sitting, there were only two opposition members in the House," Gallimore told The Gleaner.

He said the Government did not want to pass legislation without full participation from the opposition side. However, Gallimore conceded that the decision not to fix a date for a sitting was not made in consultation with the leader of opposition business, Derrick Kellier.

Robert Pickersgill, senior opposition MP, rubbished claims made by Gallimore as to why the House did not meet.

"I was going to pass through Parliament, but then I hear that it is not sitting," Pickersgill said yesterday.

He made it clear that the leader of government business could not speak on behalf of the Opposition as it relates to parliamentary attendance.

Campaign trail

Parliamentarians on both sides of the political divide have been on the campaign trail in West Portland as they seek to woo voters in the run-up to the March 23 by-election.

The People's National Party's Kenneth Rowe is seeking to increase the seat count in Parliament for the Opposition, while the ousted member of parliament, Daryl Vaz, is fighting to return to Gordon House.

At present, there are nine pieces of legislation and 22 private-members' motions on the Order Paper for debate in Parliament.

The acting leader of government business was unable to give a date for the next sitting of the House. He said a decision would be made after consultation with both government members and the leader of opposition business.