Members of the Opposition Barbados Labour Party (BLP) got to stepping earlier today, walking out of the House of Assembly in protest to what they have deemed unfair treatment.
The BLP MPs left their seats just after 11 a.m., after attempts by Opposition Leader, Mia Mottley to give the House notice of a report produced by the Public Accounts Committee were stymied by Deputy Speaker of the House, Mara Thompson.
About 90 minutes later, Mottley, surrounded by supporting members at the Opposition Office in the Parliament complex, said the Opposition would not return to the Lower House or the Senate before the dissolution of Parliament to prepare for the next general election.
“Our involvement in the Parliament of 2013 to 2018 is now over. We will not be returning to this Parliament because of the conduct of the deputy speaker and members on the Government side,” she asserted during a quickly called press conference.
Mottley said today’s action to prevent her from giving notice of the PAC’s report was a sad day in the history of Barbados’ proud Parliamentary record, since it went contrary to the usual order of business.
The BLP boss also accused the incumbent DLP administration of batting in the dark at the end of their political innings, and trying to make runs between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m. right before umpires call close of play, metaphorically referring to constitutionally due general elections this year.
“We felt we had a duty to complete the process,” Mottley said about the decision to give notice of the report.
She said members of the Government side need not be reminded they all received a copy of the report prior to February 9 from the deputy clerk of Parliament.
The BLP leader said February 9 was the date chosen for the meeting to be held, because all other days hence would have seen the House of Assembly and Senate in session to deal with the debate for the recently concluded Estimates.
Mottley also read out of the order of business in the House of Assembly, noting that she was within her right as Chairman of the PAC, to give notice of the report.
“Under agenda item J is always reports, at which time I took the floor to ask the deputy speaker to allow me to give notice of the report of the Public Accounts Committee, 2013-2018. That is a formal process,” Mottley advised.
After being prevented from giving notice, the Opposition MPs walked out of the chamber. (BA)