House Speaker Tells LOO No 

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Valerie Woods, has rejected a request made by Leader of the Opposition, Moses Barrow. Barrow asked Speaker Woods to recognise Albert Area Representative Tracy Panton and Collet Area Representative Patrick Faber as resigned members of the United Democratic Party (UDP).

The Speaker replied, rejecting the request and confirming that Panton and Faber will retain their seats.

In her response, Woods said, “While I recognize your letter refers to the members for the Albert and Collet constituencies as being deemed by your political party as “constructively resigned”, 59A(1) (of the constitution) clearly refers to the members informing of their resignation. The Constitution does not cite the internal political party mechanisms of deeming members of their party elected to the House of Representatives as having “constructively resigned”; therefore, 59A(1) has not been met.”

She added, “My office has not received any notice of resignation by either member. On the contrary, in the public domain, both members have stated they have not resigned from their political party.”

Woods noted, “Having considered the content of your letter and the pronouncements made in the public domain by the members for the Albert and Collet constituencies that they have not resigned; I am not satisfied that the circumstances referred to in section 59(2)(e) exist. Therefore, I will not be making any declarations at the next Sitting of the House of Representatives on vacating of seats by the Members for the Albert and Collet constituencies.”