SPEAKER of the 11th Parliament, Dr. Barton Scotland has been acknowledged for demonstrating prudent stewardship in dispensing his role during the recent Budget debate and examination of the Estimates of 2015.
Expressing appreciation to the Speaker at the close of the last Friday’s sitting of the National Assembly, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo described Dr. Scotland’s guidance in Shakespearean parlance: “Like a monument of patience.”

“I want to thank you most profusely if I may say, for your calm and equanimity in these last days of our sittings, particularly the sittings that had to do with the Consideration of the Estimates of 2015. I know at times it seems that we have been competing with tropical storm Erika and sessions have been very stormy,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister who leads Government’s business in the House, also expressed gratitude to the Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs, and the staff of Parliament for making the sittings successful. Appreciation was also expressed to the media.

In his remarks, Dr. Scotland expressed gratitude to the Members of the House for their assistance and cooperation, adding that, “Members have been very welcoming and kind in my interaction with them, and I do appreciate that greatly. I am confident that would continue.”

He told the House that he learnt a lot during the debate. “I have learnt that the practice in this House, when a Member says I am not making a political statement, what the Member means is that I am now starting to make a political statement,” Dr. Scotland said.

The Speaker pointed out that he is a firm believer in relying on someone’s words of commitment, and as such undertook to maintain faith in the approach he adopted during the sittings of the National Assembly.

Appreciation was also expressed to the Speaker, the Clerk of the National Assembly, the staff of Parliament and the media by Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira.

Dr. Scotland was appointed unopposed as Speaker of the National Assembly during the convening of the historic 11th Parliament on June 10, 2015. (GINA)