Days after she was named and suspended from Parliament for grabbing the ceremonial mace, Member of Parliament for St Andrew South Western Dr Angela Brown Burke has accepted that her action breached parliamentary procedure.

In her defence, Brown Burke however argued that the incident took place during a heated debate on the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Bill, as Opposition members attempted to raise concerns about transparency, accountability and what she described as the sweeping powers contained in the proposed legislation.

The confrontation took place during the committee stage of the sitting as legislators examined the NaRRA Bill clause by clause during a tense overnight debate that stretched into early Wednesday morning. Proceedings were temporarily suspended after Speaker of the House Juliet Holness ordered Brown Burke removed from the chamber.

Video footage released since the incident shows Brown Burke leaving her seat, moving towards the ceremonial mace, lifting it from its position and returning to her seat, while some Opposition members appeared to laugh during the episode.

In her first public comments following the incident, Brown Burke, in a video media release, acknowledged that her conduct was improper.

“I start by accepting that my actions on Tuesday did not accord with acceptable parliamentary procedure. I also acknowledge under the circumstances that the decision of the House [to name me] is in keeping with the Standing Orders,” Brown Burke said on Thursday.

However, she maintained that the wider issues surrounding the Bill should not be overshadowed by the dramatic scenes in Parliament.

Brown Burke added that the confrontation unfolded amid intense disagreement over the proposed law and efforts by Opposition members to have their concerns addressed.

“I think context matters while we uphold the rules of the House, [and] at the same time I would not want that to distract unduly from the important points that we were making about the lack of transparency and accountability, the kind of unfettered powers that we saw with NaRRA because, you know, it’s trillions of dollars we’re talking about that is a debt to be borne by us and our children and our children and we want to make sure that we are doing it right and that we’re putting in the safeguards that are required,” she said.

The NaRRA Bill, which was eventually passed after lawmakers approved 20 amendments during the marathon sitting, establishes the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority to coordinate post-disaster rebuilding and resilience projects following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

The legislation triggered fierce debate in Parliament, particularly over clauses granting the authority broad powers to expedite approvals, issue directives to approving agencies and facilitate strategic investment projects. Opposition members repeatedly raised concerns about governance, oversight and executive authority during the committee-stage proceedings.

Following Brown Burke’s action, Speaker Holness warned lawmakers that interference with the mace would not be tolerated.

“Member, at no time can you grab the mace in Parliament. Not even in jest, Member, and not in protest either,” the Speaker told Brown Burke after the House resumed from committee proceedings.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness also appealed for calm during the disorder, telling members that Parliament’s dignity needed to be protected despite the heated exchanges surrounding the legislation.

“Madam Chairman, we were proceeding quite effectively in going through the clauses of the Bill. I think what we are witnessing now is a display which when we reflect on this in years to come it will not be amongst our best and I think the order of the house and dignity of the house must be preserved,” the prime minister said during the sitting.

Brown Burke was later suspended from the remainder of the sitting after Government members supported a motion brought under the Standing Orders. Debate on the Bill subsequently resumed, and the legislation was passed by the House.