Basseterre, St.Kitts (PAM Communications) -- Parliamentary representative for Constituency#8 and Deputy Political Leader of the People’s Action Movement Hon. Eugene Hamilton slammed the Speaker of the National Assembly Hon. Curtis Martin for his conduct in and of the parliament.
Hon. Hamilton stood and raised objections to the manner in which the Speaker referred to him and the accusations and comments the Speaker directed at him.
The Speaker in at least one outburst directed at Hamilton shouted “Shut Up!...Have Manners !
Hamilton expressed his displeasure with the Speaker and the manner in which he was conducting himself in the assembly. He said that the Speaker was "out of order" in his view.
"Insulting me, an elected member of parliament who had 2,017 people voting for me to come here, and what is more, the Speaker went on to indicate that he has a problem with me from long time. And so that is why he keeps treating me the way he is treating me when I'm in Parliament. He has a problem with me," Hamilton stated emphatically.
Hamilton, who received the most votes by any candidate in the history of St.Kitts-Nevis politics cited Rule 43.3.
He said "Rule 43-3 I think it is, says, 'you shall not refer to a member with insulting language.' No member should do that. Worse for the Speaker to refer to him that way."
Hamilton continued his castigation of the Speaker and said "Inappropriate. Disrespectful. He don't know his place!”
Hon. Hamilton suggested that the Speaker may have a problem with his presence in the parliament and based on the history between the two there is much credence to Hamilton’s assertion.
Hamilton was Sworn in on March 10, 2010 as an MP for St. Christopher 8. He proceeded to introduce QUESTIONS in Parliament and the Speaker immediately showed his bias towards Hamilton when he refused to allow questions to be asked of Members of Cabinet whom he seemed determined to favour and protect from scrutiny. The Speaker at a later session had to apologise for his treatment of Hamilton and was forced to allow the questions and admit that he did not know the rules.
At a presentation in Parliament, operatives {Charlie Jong) positioned himself behind member Hon. Hamilton and pointed a camera on Hamilton's written notes, showing it to the world in violation of universally acceptable standard practices in Commonwealth Parliaments
Supported by these and other incidents Hamilton maintains the view that the Speaker not only has an issue with his presence in parliament but also seems to be part of a larger scheme to diminish his stature through insulting remarks that are directed at him from the Speaker.
In a brief interview after yesterday’s “walk-out” of parliament Hamilton said , “There seems to be a conserted effort by the government and the speaker to diminish my stature in parliament. The countless incidents of unparliamentary actions and behavior that has been directed at me by operatives of the government has been fueled by The Speaker and his insulting remarks to me and yesterdays insult was the third or fourth time that the Speaker had done that.”
Several doctored video clippings have been posted across the internet via youtube and social media of Hamilton with the snide remarks of the Speaker . Hamilton lamented that yesterday’s episode will no doubt make it’s way to the internet and again doctored to show him in a bad light
“There is no doubt yesterday’s comments by the speaker will again be plastered all over the internet by operatives of the government to satisfy their goal of showing me in a bad light to the world,” Hamilton opined
“The Speaker admitted in Parliament that he has a problem with me. What a revelation. I think that the problem that the Speaker has with me is that I have defeated the Labour Candidate and caused a near defeat for his God Denzil Douglas and he (the Speaker) is part of the chorus of persons that are determined that I am to be defeated at the next polls. It is my view that he is motivated by that fact and perhaps encouraged to use his bully pulpit to help Douglas achieve that end.
So his admission that he has a problem with me substantiates that. But I want to let them know that I was sent to parliament by the people of my constituency and I will be sent back again come the next election and if this is the way the government intends to defeat me they need to come much better because the people of Constituency 8 will not allow it, “ Hamilton concluded
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