During his Budget Debate address to Parliament, Opposition MP Algernon “Serpent” Watts presented a detailed defense against allegations surrounding his involvement in a recent duty-free concession controversy. Watts asserted that public accusations stemmed from a fundamental misunderstanding of governmental approval procedures.
The parliamentarian clarified that his signature appeared on relevant documentation solely as an administrative formality after the concession had already received full approval through established channels. Watts emphasized he possessed no authority to either approve or deny the request at the stage when it reached his desk, characterizing his involvement as a routine procedural step rather than a decision-making one.
Watts directly challenged narratives suggesting he exercised undue influence or favoritism, maintaining that such claims misrepresented the actual workings of the approval process. He explained that the comprehensive nature of Budget Week provided an ideal platform to address the matter publicly and correct what he termed widespread misconceptions about his role.
The MP concluded his remarks by firmly stating that he operated entirely within official protocols throughout the process, dismissing suggestions of misconduct as baseless and without evidentiary support.