KINGSTON, Jamaica – Opposition Leader Mark Golding has criticised as undemocratic House speaker Juliet Holness’ management of the affairs of the Parliament.

He made the remarks at a press conference at Gordon House after leading a walkout by Opposition members from the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon, accusing Holness of preventing them from asking 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.

READ: Golding leads Opposition walkout from House after speaker repeatedly shuts down questions

“Clearly, the speaker has no intention of allowing the Opposition to pose questions and to play our constitutional role of holding the Government accountable for their performance. This is unacceptable to us and we had to absent ourselves from the rest of the proceedings,” Golding said.

“The people of Jamaica have elected us to represent them and defend their interests and we cannot let this speaker manage the affairs of the House in a way that prevents us from doing our duty,” he continued, adding that “It is a very distressing situation for the country and its democracy, and its one that we ask people to take very seriously because if the Opposition cannot ask questions that relate to the statement of the minister… it means that the Parliament is not being allowed to function in the way that a democracy requires.”

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.

**Video by Llewellyn Wynter**