Opposition Leader Raises Privilege Motion

Today, Leader of the Opposition Moses “Shyne” Barrow called for an amendment to the standing orders of the House of Representatives to say that no regular sitting can occur without five business days’ notice. As we have reported, the opposition boycotted the last sitting on grounds that they were not given adequate prior notice. This morning, Barrow contended that this lack of proper notice infringed on his privileges as a parliamentarian to present questions to the ministers. Speaker of the House, Valerie Woods recused herself for the privilege motion to be heard. Here is what Barrow had to say.

 

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“Mister Speaker, I would like to draw the House’s attention to standing order nineteen three which is a privilege that is afforded members of the opposition in particular questions to ministers. At the last sitting of the house, June twenty-eight the opposition [parliamentary caucus wrote to the honorable speaker to bring to her attention that the notice given was not consistent with the established protocol under her tenure which was five business days’ notice before any house sitting. Why is this important? This is important because if the members of the opposition are not given the five days’ notice that immediately strips us of our privilege to raise questions to the minister. For a member of the opposition to present a question to the minister they have to give five clear business days’ notice to the ministers. In this honorable house the ministers are afforded statements by ministers where they get to report to the honorable house and citizens of this great nation what they are doing in this great nation. We as opposition travel all over this country. I as the leader of the opposition represent all constituencies. I travel across the nation and get many questions that the citizens have of the honorable minister. Mr. Speaker rather than coming to the house and cast aspersions and impute importer motive, rather than go to the media and say anything defamatory about my colleagues, since the beginning of this term of parliament myself and others have been using standard order nineteen three to ask questions to the ministers.”