Section 68: Contempt of the Assembly

68. Contempt of the Assembly Offences provided for in the National Assembly (Privileges, Immunities and Powers) Act which have been extended to the Assembly under section 65 of the Act shall be dealt with in the following manner— (a) a Member who wishes to raise a privilege complaint shall give written notice of the matter to the Chairperson on a sitting day as soon as reasonably practicable after the Member had notice of the alleged contempt or breach of privilege; (b) in case the Chairperson considers that the matter is of an urgent character (e.g. that it raises a continuing contempt which needs rapid intervention or that the offender is entitled to know that he might be committing a contempt), he will inform the Member that he is prepared to rule on the same day; (c) if the Chairperson decides that there is no urgency, he will so inform the Member in writing and it will not be in order for the latter to raise the matter with the Chairperson in the Assembly. The Chairperson R30 – 53 [Issue 2] Rodrigues Regional Assembly Act will indicate the day on which he will announce his decision, which will be within his discretion but as soon as reasonably practicable after the receipt of the complaint; (d) on the day appointed by the Chairperson for his decision in case he considers that the circumstances reported to him amount to an offence, he will so inform the Assembly and the Member who raised the matter with him will immediately table a motion, no amendment, adjournment or debate being allowed, setting out briefly the nature of the complaint and seeking that the matter be referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for appropriate action; (e) where the Chairperson is of opinion that the circumstances reported to him does not amount to an offence, the matter shall lapse; (f) a Member who reports a privilege complaint to the Chairperson may, at any time before the Chairperson announces his decision to the Assembly, withdraw his complaint. [Seventh Sch. added by s. 4 of Act 28 of 2002 w.e.f. 21 September 2002.] [Issue 2] R30 – 54