Opposition is a no-show

Members of the Parliamentary Opposition opted to stay out of the House of Assembly this week, as part of continuing protest actions by the New Democratic Party.{{more}}

Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace as well as a number of the Opposition members joined their supporters on the picket line outside of Parliament on Tuesday, April 5th, as government ministers and Senators took to the House following a postponement two weeks ago due to injury to Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves.

Eustace, speaking to Searchlight Newspaper, said that this week’s protest action concerned many issues, with three main topics out front: the resignation of the Speaker of the House Hendrick Alexander, who had them forcibly ejected from the last sitting of parliament just over one month ago. He also noted that the protesters were calling for the reinstatement of three teachers (Elvis Daniel, Addison Thomas and Kenroy Johnson) who contested the 2010 General Elections and lost, along with the removal of the Criminal Procedures Act and the Representation of the People Act amendment bill.

“We want the bills on the Criminal Procedures Act which was passed, we want that repealed. If an NDP government were to be there tomorrow it would be repealed right away.

“…The Representation of the Peoples Act amendment; those we want changed, too. Let’s just stick to the bill as it is, as far as the bill is concerned…. What they want to remove in 51-3 and 4 we will never agree to.”

According to Eustace, a decision will be made as to if the Opposition Parliamentarians will stay out of the House for future sittings.

He said that despite the fact that there were upcoming bills on which his members would like to make an input, they had to make a choice in the day’s events.

“We are always willing to make inputs on bills… our choice is to show our protest against the speaker. We can’t have it both ways.

“We have decided that today we will stay out of Parliament.” (JJ)