Former Opposition Member of the House of Assembly Owen Arthur has taken up a position on the Government’s front bench – but maintains he is an Independent MP.
Arthur sat on the far end of the area occupied by Government ministers and Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, who later took his place at the other end, when the House met for its 43rd sitting yesterday.
At the beginning of the session, Speaker Michael Carrington read a letter dated August 1, he had received from the St Peter MP, advising of his earlier resignation as a member of the Barbados Labour Party.
It read: “Your Honour, please be advised that I have resigned as a member of the Barbados Labour Party and I therefore am no longer sitting as a member of the Opposition in the House of Assembly. Accordingly, I would be grateful if arrangements could be made for me to sit as an Independent Member in the House of Assembly.”
The Speaker then announced that “the relevant arrangements would be put in place”, and shortly after called for a half-hour adjournment of the House.
