Opposition waits to see if it is on the Order Paper
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WITH the announcement that the Federal Parliament is scheduled to convene in mid-January, Leader of Her Loyal Opposition the Hon. Mark Brantley has made clear his expectation that the Motion of No Confidence would be addressed during that sitting.
A press release was issued by the Communications Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister (CUOPM) late this afternoon (Jan. 08) informing that Parliament would convene at 10:00 a.m. on January 15, 2013.
The release also stated that the Deputy Clerk of the House, Ms. Jihan Williams, informed Members of the National Parliament that “the Order Papers and other Papers will be sent at a later date”.
Brantley confirmed that he had received a notice to this effect and told this media house that he maintains his previous position, which is the Motion of No Confidence should be dealt with as a matter of priority.
“I have just been advised that Parliament should convene on the 15th. I do not know what is to be discussed. We do not have an Order Paper. We have to wait to see the Order Paper to see what Parliament is being convened to do. Our position is the Motion of No Confidence has to take priority, but we have to wait and see.”
In early December 2012, the Members of the Opposition forwarded a Motion of No Confidence in the government and its leader Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas to the Speaker of the Federal Parliament.
A sitting of Parliament was scheduled for December 7 – the continuation of a session adjourned in late November – at which the Opposition expected that the Motion would have then been debated. But the announced illness of the Speaker of the House forced a postponement of that sitting.
Notwithstanding Brantley’s expectation, it is left to be seen whether or not the Motion will be disposed of during the next sitting of the House.
