Golding leads Opposition walkout from House after speaker repeatedly shuts down questions
Mark Golding led a walkout of Opposition members from the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon, after he was cut off mid-statement by House speaker Juliet Holness.
The Opposition leader had risen to his feet to query why Opposition members were not being allowed to ask questions in relation to a statement made by Environment Minister Matthew Samuda, regarding the approaching tropical storm which could impact the island in the next 48 hours.
Holness was insistent that apart from the Opposition spokesperson who is allowed five minutes to respond to a statement by the minister, per the Standing Orders, other members, Opposition or Government, must ask questions only.
The Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) for St Mary South Eastern, Christopher Brown, was repeatedly asked to take his seat by Holness as she refused to let him ask a question about outstanding payments to contractors.
Government MP, Everald Warmington, twice rose on a point of order, arguing that Opposition members were asking questions not related to the statement or within the portfolio area covered by Samuda. That was challenged by Opposition MP for St Catherine North Western, Damion Crawford, who was cut-off by Holness.
After asking Brown to take his seat one last time as he attempted to ask the same question for the umpteenth time, then cutting off St Andrew South Eastern MP Julian Robinson, Holness said, “Members, it is very evident that the questions are not in respect of this statement by minister. The member from Westmoreland Central (Dwayne Vaz) – his question was not in respect of the statement made by the minister. And neither is this question being asked by the member from St Andrew South East (Robinson).”
Of note is that Robinson was not even allowed to ask his question.
At this juncture, Golding intervened stating, “Madam speaker I’m very concerned by the way the proceedings are being conducted. We’re attempting to ask questions arising from the statement. The statement was a wide-ranging statement…”
After protesting that Brown was repeatedly prevented from asking his questions which Golding said he was interested in hearing, he did not get much further as his mic was cut.
Golding then led a walkout of Opposition members during what is only the third sitting of the new parliamentary term.
The Opposition has since called a press conference at Gordon House to address the matter.
-Lynford Simpson
