More stormy Parliament sessions may be ahead. While the Opposition intends filing a motion of no-confidence against House Speaker Bridgid Annisette- George by today, the Speaker yesterday sternly warned MPs against misbehaviour in Parliament.
Annisette-George delivered her warnings via a statement at the start of yesterday’s Parliament sitting. This followed the stormy end to last Friday’s sitting where Government and Opposition MPs traded abrasive remarks.
That stormy ending occurred after Opposition MP Barry Padarath accused Prime Minister Keith Rowley of not walking with a “tin of Crix or sardine “when Rowley visited Southern storm-hit areas last week. PNM MP Camille Robinson-Regis has denied she’d said Padarath’s remark was “racist”. During the session, however, Padarath had loudly demanded a ruling from the Speaker on the situation. The Opposition had walked out of Parliament after debate on tropical storm Brett’s damage ended .
Yesterday, Opposition leader Kamla Persad- Bissessar told the T&T Guardian, the Opposition was finalising moves to bring a motion of no-confidence against the Speaker and hoped to file it by today.
Persad- Bissessar added,
“It’s not intended to abuse the presiding officer, but to place this in the context and on the role and function of the presiding officer in our democracy. We’d been contemplating and researching this a long while since there’s some misunderstanding of the role and function and one can end up misdirecting oneself - but last Friday was the last straw.”
“Parliament is the last bastion of democracy. It’s where we protect the rights of the minority and the right to freedom of expression. It’s the one place we have a say. We have to preserve that democracy.”
Annisette-George, in her warnings yesterday, called for MPs not to repeat last Friday’s episode.
Annisette-George said, “ In instances when I’m not allowed to be heard in silence - consequential disorder - such as occurred during the last sitting is inevitable. I wish to stress such disorder will not be tolerated by this Speaker.”
She cautioned that flaring tensions must not degenerate into shouting, disruptive behaviour or disrespect to her.
“Remarks and outbursts by any MP while I’m on my legs will not be and are not considered part of the official proceedings of this House and as such will not be recorded in the Hansard (record).”
“Any Member who’s of the opinion that shouting at the Chair while the Speaker is standing will result in his/her offensive and disrespectful words being included in the Hansard is seriously misguided... this principle also extends to MPs who shout across the floor at each other,”
“If any Member refuses to follow a direction from this Chair, is repeatedly called to order, disregards warnings or otherwise acts in defiance of a ruling or direction, I will not hesitate to exercise the prerogative of the Chair in relation to such offending Member until the offending Member accepts the authority of this Chair.”
She also stressed:
• MPs are expected to observe certain standards of conduct according to Standing Orders.
• It’s her role/duty to maintain standards by ensuring order and decorum and she requires no assistance.”
• Every MP should resume their seat as soon as the Speaker rises to speak/calls the House to order and must listen in silence
• When she intervenes directly to call a Member to order, to respond to a point of order raised by a Member or to address this House in general, “NO Member is to speak. “
• She’s allowed to deliver directions/rulings and bring the House to order in silence; without comment, intervention or protest.
• If loud/disruptive behaviour occur and persist, a Speaker is denied the opportunity to rule on any point of order which a Member seeks to raise.
•Members who are called to order but persist in disorderly behaviour, including interjecting in a disorderly manner/disregarding the authority of the Speaker will be called upon to apologise.
