分类： politics

In a dramatic turn of events during Tuesday’s parliamentary session in Jamaica, Speaker of the House of Representatives Juliet Holness condemned the walkout by Opposition members as a “breach of parliamentary decorum” and an act that “undermines the interests of the people of Jamaica.” The incident unfolded after Opposition Leader Mark Golding led the walkout, protesting Holness’ decision to cut him off mid-statement. The tension escalated when Opposition MPs sought to question Environment Minister Matthew Samuda about an impending tropical storm but were repeatedly denied the floor. Christopher Brown, MP for St Mary South Eastern, was notably silenced by Holness when he attempted to raise concerns about unpaid contractors, a matter she deemed “out of order” under parliamentary rules. Holness defended her actions, citing Standing Orders that restrict questions to matters within a minister’s official cognisance and prohibit hypothetical or opinion-based inquiries. She expressed regret over the Opposition’s refusal to engage in private discussions to resolve the dispute, accusing them of publicly challenging her authority. The incident has sparked debate over parliamentary procedures and the balance of power within Jamaica’s legislative body.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Supreme Court has set Tuesday, November 18, as the date to hear an application for Judicial Review concerning a contentious decision made by the Constituted Authority in the St Andrew West Central election dispute. The application was initiated by Paul Buchanan, the People’s National Party’s candidate, who contested the September 3 general election and later sought to nullify the results. His request was previously denied by the Constituted Authority, leading to this legal challenge. During a recent case management hearing, the court characterized the matter as both serious and unprecedented, particularly due to its direct implications for the actions of the Constituted Authority. The presiding judge has mandated that legal documents be served to Prime Minister Dr. Andrew Holness, the Jamaica Labour Party’s candidate for the constituency, as well as the Attorney General, who will represent the Constituted Authority in the proceedings.

In a dramatic turn of events during the third sitting of Jamaica’s new parliamentary term, Opposition Leader Mark Golding orchestrated a walkout of Opposition members from the House of Representatives. The incident unfolded on Tuesday afternoon after House Speaker Juliet Holness interrupted Golding mid-statement. Golding had risen to challenge the Speaker’s decision to restrict Opposition members from posing questions related to a statement by Environment Minister Matthew Samuda regarding an impending tropical storm expected to impact the island within 48 hours. Holness maintained that, according to Standing Orders, only the Opposition spokesperson is allotted five minutes to respond to ministerial statements, while other members must limit their inquiries to questions. The tension escalated as St Mary South Eastern MP Christopher Brown was repeatedly instructed to take his seat when attempting to raise concerns about outstanding contractor payments. Government MP Everald Warmington twice intervened on points of order, arguing that Opposition questions were irrelevant to Samuda’s statement. This was countered by St Catherine North Western MP Damion Crawford, who was also cut off by Holness. After silencing Brown and St Andrew South Eastern MP Julian Robinson, Holness asserted that the questions were unrelated to the minister’s statement. Golding expressed his frustration, stating, ‘Madam Speaker, I’m very concerned by the way the proceedings are being conducted. We’re attempting to ask questions arising from the statement. The statement was a wide-ranging statement…’ However, his microphone was abruptly cut off, prompting the walkout. The Opposition later convened a press conference at Gordon House to address the incident.