Speaker reprimands insubordinate Opposition Leader
At yesterday’s June 3, 2019, Fourth Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth HoA, Speaker Willock was stern in his words and actions which led to the sudden recession of the House during the morning session of the House.
Who is leading Immigration initiative? - Hon Penn
The whole disagreement started when the Leader of the Opposition posited a question to the Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) over the proposed changes to the Immigration and Passport Act.
“Mister Speaker, could the Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration please tell this Honourable House, if he will convene a committee of the whole House for a thorough discussion for the proposed changes to the Immigration and Passport Act which had its first reading in this Honourable House on the 17th May 2019, before it is brought back for its 2nd and 3rd readings?” Hon Penn questioned.
Hon Wheatley then pointed out that immigration reform is being led by the Premier, and that the committee will be convened during the same Fourth Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth House.
The opposition then sought to query why the Premier was leading the Bill and pointed out that previously on May 17, 2019, the House was told the Premier was moving the Bill, “Because you [Hon Wheatley] was away on leave… so are you in charge or you’re not in charge?” Hon Penn further questioned.
Following that, Premier Fahie stepped in, noting that Hon Wheatley’s absence on the Bill was not only because of leave and that he Fahie, had indicated previously that the initiative was being led by the Premier.
“I told them this initiative was being led by the Premier,” Hon Fahie told the House.
Hon Penn further said that previously, the House was told that the Premier was leading the initiative because the Immigration Minister was away, “We will get the records, the house have records,” he said.
Opposition cancelled meetings – Premier Fahie
Further, according to the Premier, “and while I’m on my feet, Mr Speaker… we give the opposition two opportunities to have meetings to come and discuss it, and the meeting were cancelled, so what next move do we do?”
According to Hon Penn in response, “And the point about the meeting, and we made it clear to the Premier… two members of the opposition were unable to make the first meeting, It would not be fair for us to have a meeting not inclusive of all the members,” he said.
“So it’s not that we are not trying to meet, this is an issue [Immigration] that I believe that the Premier… could have brought to us and have a discussion before.”
Premier Fahie in lashing back, said the Opposition was written twice on May 24, 2019, and on May 31, 2019, “The Leader of the Opposition asked for a meeting on Monday the 27th of May at 2 pm for all Opposition Members, I granted the meeting and informed all my members,” he said.
“Monday morning we found out after a while that one or two members of the opposition could not make it and the meeting was cancelled,” he said.
The Leader of Government Business then said the second meeting was requested by the Opposition with the Premier alone, “I said to him, that I have to meet with my members with the Opposition, we won’t be meeting alone. All of us will discuss it.”
“So the next meeting was scheduled for Friday… the Leader of the Opposition said that he cannot meet at 2 pm, It has to be 8:30 the morning.”
The Premier said he further communicated that the meeting can be had, 2 pm, latest 3 pm on the same Friday.
“Kick me out today” – Hon Penn
“I’ve been more than accommodating to the Opposition to have a meeting, both of them were cancelled by request of the Leader of the Opposition,” Premier Fahie told the House.
The Opposition Leader then sought to lash back in a rowdy manner by saying he will provide proof via letters to dispute the Premier’s claims, to which the Speaker silenced him, “Leader of the opposition, I am to be heard in silence,” Hon Willock said firmly and stern.
“Mister Speaker, I am not a little kid… you are not talking to a child,” the Opposition Leader said.
“You going have to kick me out today, you are not speaking to a child,” Hon Penn further implored.
Clad in his heavy black and gold robe with the traditional colonial style wig, Speaker Willock stood assertively in silence and immediately moved the House to a recession.
After the break, Hon Willock said, “Leader of the Opposition I am going to give you a warning. Any further infraction will result in action being taken by the Speaker against you.”
Over the past weeks, the Opposition Members of the VI HoA have been lobbying against and Premier Fahie led, ‘Clear path to regularisation: Residency and Belonger Status Programme,’ seeking to regularise undocumented immigrants by telling the public that government never tried to consult nor consulted with them before moving forward with the initiative.
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11 Responses to “Speaker reprimands insubordinate Opposition Leader”
sure to occur, happen, or come; unalterable: The inevitable end of human life what happens when you had a speaker like Ingrid Moses. How soon we forget. This standing order is called “Karma”
Every voter who voted at the last general election should know how it feels to hear that the party you voted for has lost.
that pain of losing is felt stronger into the emotions of the candidates themselves, to lose power, privileges, opportunities and everything which goes with a political position.
When I looked at the clip of video with the honourable Penn,I saw a child-face-expression of hurt on his face.
He is the one who used the word kid and child to describe himself, by saying, "I am not a child".
The speaker did not speak like a grown person addressing a child.The speaker spoke as the speaker of the HOA addressing the Leader of the opposition.
Therefore,Hon, Penn has described himself as a under-age "CHILD".
So,from today on-wards, I will call Hon, Penn, a child because he called the word child.
He could have said, "look mr speaker,I am a big man with big-balls, and big-k@#k, but instead,he said "I am not a child.