KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC–Opposition legislators Tuesday walked out of the Parliament, accusing the Speaker, Juliet Holness, of preventing them from asking questions of the Water and Environment Minister, Matthew Samuda.
The walkout occurred after Opposition Leader Mark Golding sought to intervene, asking why his members were not allowed to question Samuda about the country’s preparation for the approaching tropical storm, which is expected to impact the island in the next 48 hours.
Samuda had earlier made a statement to the House, updating legislators on the passage of Tropical Storm Melissa and the preparations being undertaken by the Andrew Holness government.
The Speaker had sought to make it clear that, apart from the Opposition spokesperson, who is allowed five minutes to respond to a statement by the Minister in keeping with the Standing Orders, other members, whether 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 Speaker Holness as she refused to let him ask a question about outstanding payments to contractors.
“Members, it is very evident that the questions are not in respect of this statement by the 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),” she said, as the opposition legislators sought to ask questions.
But Golding said he was “very concerned by the way the proceedings are being conducted,” adding,” We are attempting to ask questions arising from the statement. The statement was a wide-ranging statement…”
But the Speaker maintained her position and Golding then led a walkout of Opposition members during what is only the third sitting of the new parliamentary term following the September 3 general election that saw the ruling Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) returned to office for an unprecedented third consecutive term, although with a slightly reduced majority by winning 34 of the 63 seats.
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