Conflict of Interests

[Kim-SeeTeo]

When an ex-president who has stepped down after his term becomes a parliamentarian at a meeting, will there be a conflict of interests if he speaks as if he was still a leader? More than that he sits centrally on the stage instead of sitting by the side to keep a low profile,but next to the presiding officer.

[Guest stature]

The chair/president can seek advice and consult with the parliamentarian,

and the parliamentarian should keep a low profile (seen but not heard).

He can't speak as leader because only the chair directs the meeting or rules on points of order.

[Guest stature]

Here's a list of "Hush Parliamentarian"  points of order you can make:

"...The parliamentian has a duty to maintain a position of impartiality" 

"...The parliamentian is there to advise the presiding officer on matters of procedure and has no right to enter into debate."

"...Only the chair can place business before the assembly"

 

If he's on your agenda as a guest speaker, then let him speak.

[Kim Goldsworthy]

When an ex-president who has stepped down after his term becomes a parliamentarian at a meeting, will there be a conflict of interests if he speaks as if he was still a leader?

More than that he sits centrally on the stage instead of sitting by the side to keep a low profile,but next to the presiding officer.

Yes.

There will be a conflict of duties, not a conflict of interest.

The Book says that the parliamentarian does not participate in debate -- due to his duty to remain impartial, while the meeing is ongoing.

 

More than that he sits centrally on the stage

instead of sitting by the side to keep a low profile,

but next to the presiding officer.

 

Well, of course.

The natural place for the parliamentarian, in the vast majority of cases, would be nearest the ear of the chairman -- for whispering purposes.

You cannot advise the chair from across a crowded room.

 

(This isn't fooball -- hand signals just won't do, you know.)

[Guest stature]

re hand signals just won't do,

 

 

i've used a simple hand signal before in a large convention.

Go up to microphone, make motion, turn around and point to person, hold up two fingers, and point to myself.  translated it's "you second my motion".  

[Guest Guest]

Thank you all, deeply appreciated. In particular, thanks to Kim, who says conflict of duties, instead. I said c. of interests because as past president has had no more duties left until he became a parliamentatian. Your point gratefully noted. KimSee.

[Richard Brown]

I'm surprised nobody quoted directly from RONR re a "member parliamentarian".   Here it is, from page 467:

 

"A member of an assembly who acts as its parliamentarian has the same duty as the presiding officer to maintain a position of impartiality, and therefore does not make motions, participate in debate, or vote on any question except in the case of a ballot vote. He does not cast a deciding vote, even if his vote would affect the result, since that would interfere with the chair's prerogative of doing so. If a member feels that he cannot properly forgo these rights in order to serve as parliamentarian, he should not accept that position. Unlike the presiding officer, the parliamentarian cannot temporarily relinquish his position in order to exercise such rights on a particular motion."  (Emphasis added).

[Gary Novosielski]

When an ex-president who has stepped down after his term becomes a parliamentarian at a meeting, will there be a conflict of interests if he speaks as if he was still a leader? More than that he sits centrally on the stage instead of sitting by the side to keep a low profile,but next to the presiding officer.

 

The parliamentarian probably should not be speaking at all, except quietly to the presiding officer, or when specifically requested by the presiding officer to explain some fine point of procedure to the assembly.

 

However, he should be seated next to the presiding officer, so that he can quietly confer with the presiding officer when requested.