Speaker chides HoA Members on tardiness
The continuation of the Second Sitting of the Second Session of the Third House of Assembly yesterday was slated to begin at 10:00 A.M. but did not get started until 10:45 A.M. since there was not a quorum at the scheduled start time.
Several Members of the HoA were also unavoidably absent, including Premier Dr The Hon D. Orlando Smith, Fifth District Representative Hon Deloris Christopher, Second District Representative Hon Melvin M. Turnbull and First District Representative and Opposition Member Hon Andrew A. Fahie.
Speaker Moses convened the session by apologising to persons in the gallery as well as those tuned in via the internet, radio or television before addressing the long standing issue of lateness by Members.
“I just want to remind all members that House of Assembly sittings start at 10:00 A.M. and we should all endeavor to be there on time so that we do not keep the people waiting.”
Tattered image of HoA
Back in 2012 then Anglican Minister of the St Georges Anglican Episcopal Church, Father Ronald Branche had expressed concern about Members of the HoA always showing up late and delaying the start of proceedings.
"I have a problem with punctuality...It rankles my soul because if we are going to set an order a community. I go to be chaplain of the House of Assembly, and since I have been going there all these years, we have never started on time. Suppose to start 10 o´clock, I reach half past 9; I sit down reading and waiting and waiting; people are moving around casually, talking, quarter past 10, half past 10, you might start 25 to 11. We can´t build any serious community when we are not punctual," Father Branche had said in church.
Back in October 2012 also, former Legislator Eileene L. Parsons OBE had said there was a breakdown of decorum in the House of Assembly and went as far as to liken it to that of a “circus”.
Performing the role of host of the programme NDP Radio, which was aired on a local station on October 15, 2012, Mrs Parsons said the behaviour of certain Members in the HOA was a “burning issue” for persons in the community and that it was “deplorable”.
She also claimed that members of the community have even indicated to her that they no longer tune in to the House of Assembly sessions because of their disappointment with the way business was being conducted in the HOA.
“To me the House of Assembly has become a circus,” Mrs Parsons had bluntly stated.
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