A COLLEAGUE Member of Parliament (MP) on the Opposition side of the House is of the firm opinion that the Speaker of the House, Mr. Raphael Trotman, should resign to preserve the integrity of the position he holds. 

The opinion was expressed, on condition of anonymity, in light of the sexual assault allegations levelled against Trotman by 22-year-old Jonny Welshman Jr., allegations that could both shadow his office and pose a threat to the integrity of the Speakership.
Welshman had also alleged that Trotman offered him $1.7M to settle the matter.
Meanwhile, the United States Embassy here, when asked whether Trotman’s visa had been (or will be) revoked, has indicated that it will not comment on individual cases, due to national privacy laws.
In November 2009, the United States had revoked the non-immigrant visa of Office of the President Press and Publicity Officer, Kwame McCoy, amid allegations of child solicitation.
Prior to that, in 2006, former Commissioner of Police, the late Mr. Henry Greene, had similar action taken against him, following allegations of criminal activity.
This newspaper is aware that several independent observers are paying keen attention to see how this matter will play out, specifically as it relate to possible ‘double standards’ by the U.S. in its visa revocation policy.
Welshman Jr. first went public with the allegation on the popular social media site, Facebook. According to media reports earlier this week, the young man has been sexually abused since he was 13, and though his father is aware of this latest assault, he has given him no support.
This, he is quoted as saying, is what caused him not to speak up earlier about the incident. He said the Speaker even offered to help him get a job, and readily gave him a letter of recommendation. But the one promising opportunity, at the Pegasus Hotel, fell through. The Hotel is owned by Mr. Robert Badal, a reported major financier of Trotman’s Party, the Alliance For Change (AFC).
Welshman said he has been receiving medical attention, in the form of counselling. The House Speaker has since vehemently denied the young man’s claims, saying that the allegations have seemingly stemmed from a political plot.
Meanwhile, both the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) and Acting President and Prime Minister, Mr. Samuel Hinds, on behalf of the government, have denied having anything to do with the matter.