BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IT is being bandied that Members of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition of the Federal Parliament would continue their boycott of the legislative body come Tuesday (Nov. 26) when the House next convenes.
This is the report of at least one media house within the Federation and attempts to contact both the Opposition Leader the Hon. Mark Brantley and the Leader of the Unity Movement the Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris have yielded very little in confirming or denying the claim.
Both men referred this media house to the other and each explained that a release would be prepared and disseminated at the earliest convenience.
Should the Opposition miss the upcoming sitting of Parliament, it would be the third consecutive time for most of its Members.
On July 8, 2013, all Members of the Opposition Benches staged a walkout from Parliament after the Speaker of the House indicated that the Motion of No Confidence would not be allowed to be debated then.
It was in passive resistance that they staged that boycott, and during the following week the Opposition was absent when Parliament was again convened.
Their second consecutive absence was on September 9, 2013 when the Realignment of the Constituency Boundaries was debated and passed.
SKNVibes understands that all - barring one - were absent from that sitting.
Section 31(3) of the Constitution of St. Christopher and Nevis states: “An elected or appointed member shall also vacate his seat in the Assembly - (a) if he is absent from the sittings of the Assembly for such period and in such circumstances as may be prescribed in the rules of procedure of the Assembly.”
This publication was informed that provision is made for a seat(s) within the Parliament to become vacant if a Parliamentarian(s) refrains from attending three consecutive sessions of the House without proper notification being given to the Speaker.
As at press time, the released promised by Messrs. Brantley and Harris was not circulated.
