Port of Spain, Trinidad – Opposition legislators Friday staged a walk out of from the Parliament accusing the Speaker Jagdeo Singh of having a “biased and prejudicial behaviour” towards them.
The 13 members of the main opposition People’s National Movement (PNM), including Opposition Leader, Pennelope Beckles, said that they “were left with no choice but to leave today’s sitting”, adding “the pattern of unfair treatment and rulings has continued unchecked and unaddressed.
“It is now beyond question to unbiased observers that the current Speaker of the House has failed in his duty to act impartially and to uphold the Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament.
“Since assuming the Chair, the Speaker has consistently rejected the majority of Urgent Questions and Prime Minister’s Questions filed by the Opposition. His refusal to maintain established precedent on Supplemental Questions is a direct challenge to accountability and transparency in the conduct of the people’s business,” the opposition legislators said.
They said that another constant feature of recent parliamentary sittings has been the “uneven and biased application of the Standing Orders.
“The Speaker routinely overlooks inappropriate behaviour from Members of the Government, including disorderly conduct and offensive remarks, yet is quick to silence Members on the Opposition Bench.”
They said that Friday’s sitting “was no exception” and that when they attempted to make contributions, government members “were permitted to shout, disrupt and engage in unparliamentary behaviour without restraint or reprimand, while Opposition Members are met with repeated interruption and censure from the Chair”.
The opposition legislators said that they have been constitutionally elected to serve the people of Trinidad and Tobago, “representing almost 400 000 citizens” and that “any attempt to silence their voices, curtail their contributions, or restrict their right to question the Government will not be tolerated”. (CMC)
