BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WHILE all Members of Her Majesty’s Opposition were present today (Dec. 9) in Parliament for the 2015 Budget Presentation by Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, two of them staged a walkout following confrontations with the Speaker of the House.
The two Parliamentarians are former Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Sam Condor and the People’s Action Movement’s Parliamentary Representative for Constituency Eight, the Hon. Eugene Hamilton, both of whom are now members of the tri-party construct Team Unity.
SKNVibes caught up with Condor after he exited the House and was given the reason for his departure.
“I was trying to get the Speaker to follow the rules. Parliament is governed by rules and not what the Speaker says. The Speaker does not know the rules and I will not be a part of anything that doesn’t follow the Rules of Parliament.
“I don’t want to be a part of what is going on in there. That is not proper parliamentary procedure; that is personal stance!”
Shortly after Condor made his exit, Hamilton did the same and insinuated that he had similar reasons to that of Condor for leaving.
“I am leaving for the time being because Parliament has been reduced to a sham. Bringing a resolution in Parliament without giving notice to the Parliamentarians is not keeping with Section 28 of the Statutory Rules and Orders of Parliament. So they are violating to bring that resolution.
“I am saying that kind of conduct from the Speaker has reduced the Parliament to sham.”
He also explained that the Opposition attending Parliament was not in contradiction of their boycott, but was an opportunity for them to present their agenda to the people.
“We have not gone against our boycott. We said we would not participate in debating any bills and so forth. This is an important Budget session in Parliament, which is the last Budget for this Government, and we have made the decision that some members will speak because it is better for us to put our agenda before the people.”
Dr. Douglas presented the Appropriation (2015) Bill in a three-hour presentation.
