Bicameralism

A bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a parliament or legislature

which consists of two Chambers or Houses. A bicameral legislature is composed of
two-chambers, usually termed the lower house and upper house. The lower house is
usually based proportionally on population with each member representing the
same number of citizens in each district or region. The upper house varies more
broadly in the way in which members are selected, including inheritance,
appointment by various bodies and direct and indirect elections. In a bicameral
system, the authority of the two houses or chambers varies broadly in each country.
In some countries with weak bicameralism, the upper chamber has only
consultative powers. In the UK, for example, the lower chamber, the popularly
elected House of Commons, has evolved into the superior legislative power, and its
decisions override those of the upper chamber-The House of Lords. In the U.S.
system, however, both chambers pose equal or offsetting powers and legislation
must be approved by both. Upper Houses are usually chosen in one of the following
ways: direct elections -- voters cast their ballots directly for a specific candidate or
party (US) indirect elections where voters elect local or provincial governments, who
in turn select the upper house members (Argentina, Austria, German, India and
Yugoslavia); indirect elections whereby the lower house selects the upper house
(Zimbabwe); appointment by the head of state (Canada, Jordan and Thailand); and
inheritence (UK)- the majority of members in the upper House of Lords are
hereditary peers).

Bicameralism in the Caribbean is the result of the crown colony system and the
evolution and adaptation of the 1918 Bryce proposals on the reform of the house of
lords. In bicameral systems, provision is made for senators to be appointed who do
not hold office by virtue of political invitation or a political whip. These senators are
called independent senators and they are in the parliaments of Antigua, Barbados,
St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. The independent senators serve on the
legislature and afford the legislative process the benefits of conscience and unbiased
votes on all legislation. Independent senators also assist parliamentary committees
in their deliberations by not responding to the directives of the government or
opposition. Their expertise is needed to enhance the output from these committees.
The major reason for having bicameral systems in the Caribbean is to create a
technocracy through the judicious use of appointments to this category of senators
by Presidents. However bicameralism has been an efficient system as it allows
some measure of minor party representation in a second chamber. In these small
states with parliamentary systems bicameralism may offer greater scope for the
recruitment of ministerial talent for the executive. Also bicameralism may offer
greater constitutional protection by way of varied entrenchment procedures
involving both houses to prevent easy amendment of the constitution.

There are several advantages associated with a bicameral government, that the
second chamber can provide the following benefits: it provides checks and balances
within the legislative body between both assemblies particularly in excess of first
chambers. Also this system gives particular groups such as minorities and distinct
territories a chance to be represented in second chambers. It improves the quality of
law enactment, since bills are discussed twice that is it provides an opportunity for
second examination of legislative proposals and measures. Also a wider scope of
expertise be recruited to serve in the legislature. It provides a greater number of
members to serve on parliamentary committees and a wider scope of members serve
on parliamentary committees. Also a second chamber can reduce the workload of
the first chamber by considering legislation in full detail and leaving them to
consider the broader issues.

A disadvantage of bicameralism is that it slows down the process of legislation

when the two branches disagree. Also the absence of a party whip may not
guarantee regular attendance and/or participation of the two bodies. The presence
of non-elected members may be viewed as a challenge to the tenets of representative
government. The existence of a government majority on parliamentary committees
overrides the benefit of a wider network of expertise from which membership can be
drawn. Intra-legislature checks in bicameral systems and balances in bicameral
systems may frustrate the legislative process by either the absence of consensus or
the presence of delay. The interests represented in bicameral systems may only
increase number but not in overall proportion or ratio.