…Speaker says conduct was extraordinary, unacceptable

OPPOSITION Member of Parliament Juan Edghill has been suspended for four sittings by the National Assembly for disobeying the instructions of Speaker Dr. Barton Scotland after Social Protection Minister and Government Chief Whip, Amna Ally successfully moved a motion to have the House sanction him.

The motion was carried in the House on Tuesday morning, minutes after the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Parliamentarian was taken into custody for “breaching a police barrier.” Amid heightened police presence in and around the Public Buildings, Edghill in an attempt to access the compound breached the barrier despite being repeatedly cautioned by the police on the ground to desist. He was subsequently released.

The Speaker had suspended him from Monday’s sitting after he refused to take his seat when instructed to do so. His refusal to sit during the Committee of Supply, during the consideration of the Budget Estimates for the Ministry of the Presidency had dragged the House into its worst crisis with police ranks stationed at Parliament being summoned to the chambers.

In his absence on Tuesday, Dr. Scotland, in no uncertain terms, told members on both sides of the House that “Edghill behaved in an extraordinary, unacceptable manner, disregarding the directions of the Speaker and making it clear that he will follow his own determinants.”

“The conduct of the Honourable Juan Edghill is unprecedented in the annals of this House,” the Speaker stated. It was on this note that he called on a Minister of Government to move a motion regarding the matter. Standing to her feet was Ally.

In accordance with Standing Order 47(3), Ally moved a motion for Edghill to be suspended from the service of the Assembly for the next four sittings because of his “gross disorderly conduct” during the 79th Sitting. His suspension will end on Friday December 15 when the Consideration of the Budget Estimates will come to an end. In response to the motion, which had the full support of the 33 members on the governing side of the House, the Speaker announced that Edghill will remain on suspension. He noted that the Standing Order to which reference was made provides for a penalty that goes to the end of the session.

“So grave is that conduct, that allowing the person the benefit of four days, four additional days suspension is the most lenient that it can be treated,” the Speaker said.

Jumping to his feet on a point of order was Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo but although being cautioned by the Speaker that there is no provision for the matter to be debated, and that it was already dealt with, he proceeded nonetheless. “Mr. Speaker I just wish to record our significant dissatisfaction with what you just said in this Chambers.

You spoke about the unprecedented nature of the behaviour of Bishop Juan Edghill but you did not speak about the unprecedented presence of police in this House, police in this House that assaulted people,” Jagdeo said even as he was repeatedly cautioned by the Speaker.

The Opposition Leader said the suspension is an attempt to muzzle Edghill. Jagdeo also used the opportunity to question who instructed the police to evict the Member of Parliament from the Chamber. Outside the Chamber, Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira also protested the decision to arrest Edghill on the public road. “The pre-suspension starts at the gate of this Parliament.

If they wanted to stop him from coming in, it should have been at the gate of the Parliament not at the traffic light that is public road. He has a right as a citizen to be on a public road. This is a constitutional matter and we should be concern,” the Opposition Chief Whip said.