The Art of Debate: A Lesson for Algernon Serpent Watts
Debating is a fundamental aspect of parliamentary proceedings, allowing MPs to engage in constructive discussions, challenge each other’s views, and ultimately make informed decisions.
However, it appears that Algernon Serpent Watts needs a refresher course on the basics of debating.
Watts’s recent assertion that he was waiting for someone to go first before debating is not only puzzling but also exposes his lack of understanding of the debating process.
When preparing for a debate, one conducts research, organizes their thoughts, and prepares notes to support their arguments.
The order in which speakers present their arguments does not change the content of their notes or the validity of their arguments.
Imagine a student showing up to an exam, refusing to answer questions until someone else answers first. It’s absurd! Similarly, Watts’s approach to debating is not only unproductive but also an abdication of his responsibility as an MP.
As a representative of the people, Watts has a duty to engage in meaningful debates, challenge the government’s policies, and advocate for the interests of his constituents.
His failure to do so is a dereliction of his duties and a disservice to the people who elected him.
It’s time for Watts to take his responsibilities seriously, prepare thoroughly for debates, and engage meaningfully with his colleagues. Anything less is unacceptable.
The people of Antigua and Barbuda deserve better representation, and it’s imperative that their elected officials start delivering.
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Serpent need fuh tek a f*ckin back seat and stay there.
Here yall go with this nonsense again. Let me use the analogy you presented, a student goes to sit an exam after they would have been exposed to course work. Doing so before getting the course work would be stupid and the results would bare that out.
The opposition members have various ministries that they intend to address and hearing the plans and proposed programs of those ministers is vital to a comprehensive and meaningful debate.
If the opposition “debated” the way the letter suggests by going first, without context of what the various ministers and ministries intend to do in the fiscal year in question the government ministers could simply add all the opposition suggestions to their prepared presentations and the opposition ends up looking like idiots to the public. This has happened in the past. I am very happy that the opposition stood their ground. This administration is fresh out of ideas and talent that is why they wait for the opposition to reveal ideas and find talent for them to poach and pretend it is their own.
Wow.. Common sense you can’t be serious. Goodness.. gracious take off your political blinders. There is a budget that was prepared for all and sundry. Ignorance’s is truly blissful. Failure to represent your constituents is poor representation. Especially when it’s one of few times you can raise their concerns. The writer is correct with the comments.
The sheer look of terror and his grasping the podium for support are obvious signs that the MP needs to come to grips with the reality that chatting (usually) rubbish on a popular radio talk-show is a far cry from rising to debate a Budget in Parliament. I hope he can humble himself enough to seek help from someone, even an A-Level student, skilled in the art of debating. Come on, man, we recently celebrated our 43rd anniversary of Independence!!!
You folks are doing just what is expected of you by ‘Comrade Leader’. I guess you think that it’s as easy to get across everyone else as is with your colleagues. Can an opponent make a rebuttal to nothing? It’s as basic as that.
The pm made the overall presentation and covered all ministries. However the various ministers should have presented a more detailed plan for his or her ministry. What happened is that they were already operating on an alternate system. The PM spoke ( he was phenomenal) then Pringle did( the best I ever heard Pringle), then Hon. Maria Browne spoke ( struggled a bit ) and then Richard Lewis spoke( well research with suggestions) He did not just speak on the minister which he is shadowing but he actually debated the entire budget. He has the capacity and did a good Job. He did spend an extensive time on education, which he is shadowing. Then Melford Nicholas made his detailed presentation on the behalf of his ministry. At the end of his presentation they went on a lunch break. They all decided to return to parliament at 2.45. It was expected that a UPP MP would speak after Milford Nicholas ( he was good ) on returning from lunch , continuing as they were doing before lunch and the previous day. (It was poised to be an excellent debate and UPP was showing that they had something in the tank left)
Here is when the trouble started- It is my belief that the UPP MP’s on purpose returned later to flip the script. Expecting that an APLP MP and Cabinet minister would speak until they reach. What the APLP MP and Ministers did was deliberately decide that the PM presentation was sufficient and allowed him to rap up. Again I personally believe that every MP, especially those that have ministers should make s detailed presentation. However, what they did in the absence of the UPP MP was to allow the PM to rap-up. This is not what I prefer but it was not illegal.
Then came in the UPP MP’s and Trevor walker and found The Hon. PM rapping up. They were caught by surprise and tried to block him from rapping up using all sort of tactics. The PM realized that the were trying something and he withdrew and gave the floor over for anyone of the MP’s that wanted to respond to do so. The UPP MP’s refused to participate , they were calling on the ABLP members to make their presentations. I also believe that the ABLP refusing not to speak at this point was deliberate. Note not illegal. Several times the floor was open and no one spoke. The atmosphere became tense and seems like we were heading for a Bahamas repeat. It was averted by a vote to have a private meeting and hold discussion out of the public. The vote went to the floor and the APLP the no’s had it. The PM was allowed to rap up undisturbed.
I think that the UPP MPs missed the opportunity at a time when they were struggling to gain traction
as a party. They heard the PM budget presentation, they had the budget documents, they had enough time to prepare, so it was foolish not to. I don’t think that they were not prepared but that they were caught off guard and expected the APLP would have continued the debating in their absence.
It was a stupid move, that will not gain any support. This is one of the few opportunities they had to equal media coverage. So who had more to loose ? The UPP members did. Worst yet they stayed debated a bill that the government put forward to barrow hundreds of millions, without any proper business plan. If they had debated the budget they could have stood their ground and prevented this bill from passing. They were now tame, lame ducks and were just sitting there holding on to a straw, like a drowning man.Several of them sat in total shock. Gaston Browne is a political Animal and when his opponent is down, he ensures that they stay down.
So in three budget cycles they have not debated twice. The UPP is going down, down, until they are counted out. Funny only the two power hungry members of the UPP spoke and they both did an excellent Job. So the struggles continues.
To start, not much debating goes on in the House. Check the leader. Debating is between two or more. All he does is deliver monologues and snide remarks.
There is no doubt that Mr Watts has the ability to stand and deliver. His style seems to be different from the usual fare we get from the debates which make them very boring and hard to digest.
Unlike persons on the ruling side who maintain they have degrees which have not been seen and will never be produced to prove authenticity, Mr Watts does not claim to have any, nor does he seem to be inclined to want any. It is suggested that maybe a little less degrees and more political know how on both sides might help to draw and keep people’s interest in the nation’s business.
It is very hard to sit and listen to the leader tell lie after lie, to hear most of these representatives who are as boring as watching wet paint dry, and even worst an adjudicator who has not been introduced to the word impartiality, nor to the rule that his main role is to protect the opposition from the excesses of the proposition.
So Mr Watts is just fine. No need for him to become a boring troll. He certainly will not be that type of person who turns off the people from politics.
BTW, the writer of this letter does not seem to know Mr Watts abilities. Either that or he has a serious case of dislike borne out of jealousy for the dude.
Unfortunately you can’t blame Serpent, you have to blame the people who put him there. See me & come live with me a two different sudden. The same applies with being a radio host & a parliamentarian
@common sense wept, I’ve been trying to find common sense in this whole debacle of to find it weeping. What is so difficult to understand that in parliament the opposition either opposes or supports what is brought to the honorable house by the government side. How in the highest heavens can anyone expect Serpent or any other to present a debate presentation without hearing from the other side. Thanks for your well presented argument, without it I couldn’t have agreed or disagree.
Don’t worry debate will come, that man Jerry watt is not there to use his phenetic legallies to stifle the debate and protect Gaston, both watt and cutie was controlling the narrative parameters in parliament back then, am sure cutie must have been giving eye signal instructions to the new speaker on what to do during budget pronouncement.
Voters voted for this guy because of his popular radio show and all the shit he loudly mouth off every night.
Am a bit sorry for the people of his constituency, cause he will never get anything accomplish, what you see is what you get, no vision and lack of debatable skills and know how.
He is the popular Serpent and without thinking you made him a Minister of Parliament so deal with it.
At lease my boy Tamo had his own way of debating and wasn’t shy of doing so, even bringing in to Parliament his own little gadgets to boost his presentation, a bit mediocre but he bravely stood up when it was his turn and make his presentation to his people.
UPP MPS are FULL of EXCUSES. Debate and stop the BULLSHIP. Serpent and Shugy go to Parliament without representing Their CONSTITUENCIES. Big Jokers.
They will be voted out next election.
I heard Mr. Knight referred to Pringle as Mr. Pringle. Knight was read the RIOT Act. He IS back on board with UPP. Knight is a TURNCOAT.
This article is on point. Algernon has not made a single impactful speech in parliament.
The thing is we know he can do it. It is within him, he just need to put it together and come good like his leader did in the last session.
Algernon by luck or intent, missed all most all the parliamentary debates.
@ Common sense
The budget speech is th course work.
Serpent can make noise on radio, but in Parliament he is very inept.
Y’all be really gullible if y’all believe that MP Watts going to debate in parliament. From since being elected as a MP you can count on for fingers how many time he got up and spoke. Its clear he intends to coast his way through this term by letting his colleagues do all the debating for him. Its always he is either absent or have nothing to contribute. Did y’all expect any better?
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BTW I’ve noticed the cry baby have been noticeable quite for the past few days what happen the internet got disconnected for he cant be on here with his usual verbal rants
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This author didn’t hear from the Minister of Health about what will be invested in SLMBC to save him or a family member from from a stroke, or motor vehicle accident yet he/she is preoccupied with members of the Opposition. My Antiguan people sure have their priorities straight with every man for himself and God for us all. Are those frequent earthquakes geologic or an Antigua sinking from the weight of greed, selfishness, ignorance and lack of patriotism?
@Talk Truth
Please aanswer this question. Did the Opp. MPs receive the budget estimate report minutes, hours days or weeks before the debate??
SERPENT , SHUGY and JAMALE PRINGLE are the most AWFUL Persons elected to our House of REPRESENTATIVES. Thrse Guys are just collecting the PAYCHEQUES. VERY SAD. AWFUL AWFUL.
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