No more late nights in Parliament for me – St Clair Leacock

VICE-PRESIDENT of the New Democratic Party, Major St Clair Leacock has no intentions of burning the midnight oil when Parliament meets on August 22.

When Parliament met last month, that meeting on Thursday July 18, went into the wee hours of Friday morning.

This was to facilitate debate on the 2024 Supplementary Estimates to deal with post-Hurricane Beryl expenses, and other matters that were on the Order Paper for that meeting.

Several items are also on the Order Paper for this Thursday’s sitting of the House of Assembly.

However, Leacock made it clear that he has no plans to stay in Parliament beyond midnight this time.

He made this clear on Monday, August 19, 2024, while speaking on his party’s New Times interactive programme on Nice Radio.

“For me, I will not sit on the Parliament beyond midnight,” the Central Kingstown Member of Parliament stated.

“Parliament is the people’s business, and matters of the Parliament should take place within a reasonable time of day, and into the evening.

Meetings of the House of Assembly can go beyond regular hours, under Standing Order 12.5.

Leacock also asked that consideration be given to the women who have to be in Parliament for these long hours.

Leacock was deputizing on the radio programme for President of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Dr Godwin Friday who was overseas.