Colombia trying to prepare island paradise for tourism...
Hacktivists leak 178,000 documents from Colombia’s military
Colombia’s State sentenced for exterminating political party
Colombia’s capital Bogota awarded for failing crime policy
OAS urges Colombia to release people arrested over...
Colombia’s war crimes tribunal hears notorious former warlord
Colombia’s GDP and GNI
Panama arrests US citizen suspected in Colombia of...
Colombia seeking mastermind behind Paraguay prosecutor kill plot
Colombia’s government and ELN rebels overcome “crisis” in...
  • About
  • Support
  • Newsletter
  • Contact
Colombia News | Colombia Reports
  • News
    • General
    • Analysis
    • War and peace
    • Elections
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Sports
    • Science and Tech
  • Travel
    • General
    • Bogota
    • Medellin
    • Cali
    • Cartagena
    • Antioquia
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • Coffee region
    • Amazon
    • Southwest Colombia
    • Northeast Colombia
    • Central Colombia
  • Data
    • Economy
    • Crime and security
    • War and peace
    • Development
    • Cities
    • Regions
    • Provinces
  • Profiles
    • Organized crime
    • Politics
    • Armed conflict
    • Economy
    • Sports
  • Lite
  • Opinion
News

Bill to punish Colombia’s chronically absent congressmen fails because of absent congressmen

by Adriaan Alsema June 14, 2016

A bill that sought to punish chronic absenteeism in Colombia’s Congress failed to make it through the first debate because too many lawmakers were absent and the session was canceled.

The bill had been proposed by opposition party Democratic Center to curb the almost systematic absence of large numbers of members of the Senate and House of Representatives.

This widespread absenteeism is one of the reasons Congress is Colombia’s least approved public institution and the cause of the failure of many proposals.

Debates are frequently canceled at the last minutes because the not even the legal minimum number of lawmakers show up. Consequently, the passing of bills is delayed and sometimes fails because lawmakers are unable to finish the legislative cycle on time.

Often, lawmakers do go to Congress and register as present, only to then leave again.

Senator Alfredo Rangel, the proponent of the bill, was furious.

His bill proposed financial salary cuts for absenteeism.

However, “the congressmen of the national unity are only interested in projects with which they can blackmail the government and walk away with slush funds.”

legislative order

Trending

  • Panama arrests US citizen suspected in Colombia of murdering fiancé

  • Colombia’s capital Bogota awarded for failing crime policy

  • Colombia’s war crimes tribunal hears notorious former warlord

For patrons

Downloads for patrons

Related articles

  • Petro’s controversial plans to “transform politics in Colombia”

  • Former opposition takes control of Colombia’s Congress

  • Petro’s first moves to restructure Colombia’s government

  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Rss

@2008-2019 - Colombia Reports. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by Digitale Zaken and Parrolabs


Back To Top
Colombia News | Colombia Reports
  • News
    • General
    • Analysis
    • War and peace
    • Elections
    • Economy
    • Culture
    • Sports
    • Science and Tech
  • Travel
    • General
    • Bogota
    • Medellin
    • Cali
    • Cartagena
    • Antioquia
    • Caribbean
    • Pacific
    • Coffee region
    • Amazon
    • Southwest Colombia
    • Northeast Colombia
    • Central Colombia
  • Data
    • Economy
    • Crime and security
    • War and peace
    • Development
    • Cities
    • Regions
    • Provinces
  • Profiles
    • Organized crime
    • Politics
    • Armed conflict
    • Economy
    • Sports
  • Lite
  • Opinion