Dear Editor,

Despite being a long-time observer of Jamaican parliamentary proceedings, I have never seen the Speaker of the House of Representatives entered into the political debate before Tuesday of this week when Opposition Leader Mark Golding chose to use his budget presentation to do so. I believe this was against parliamentary convention and in extremely poor taste.

The current Speaker of the House, Juliet Holness, is qualified. Holness has also demonstrated that she is capable of presiding over the affairs of the Lower House.

Leader of Opposition Business in the House Phillip Paulwell supported and welcomed Holness’s ascension to the post five months ago. It was downright bizarre and inappropriate for Paulwell’s leader, Golding, to belatedly question the her ascension to the post during what was supposed to be his contribution to the budget debate.

Golding has brought himself and the Parliament into disrepute. It cannot be right for him to suggest that because a qualified woman who is capable is married to a man she should be ruled out of contention for a post after having deputised in the role for several years.

I believe the Opposition leader’s position wreaks of an unfair and misogynistic mentality, which should be a thing of the past. Shame on Mark Golding.

Jean Clarke

jeanclarke111@yahoo.com