POINTE XPRESS: The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Sir Gerald Watt has made a ruling
on an issue raised by the Leader of the Opposition, Jamale Pringle, over the
validity of Sir Robin Yearwood’s presence in the House.
Pringle has made the point on more than one occasion, that during the swearing in
ceremony in February, Sir Robin, who was elected as Deputy Speaker of the House
swore the Oath as required, but that he failed to sign his name to the document as
the Standing Orders dictate.
The Opposition Leader first raised it when he delivered his Budget Presentation on
March 9 and he again raised it prior to the close of Wednesday’s proceedings.
At that time, both the Attorney General and the Speaker refuted the claim and it
was even indicated by the Clerk of Parliament that the member did in fact sign the
book as was the requirement.
The matter seemed not to have satisfied Pringle, so when the House resumed its
sitting on Thursday morning, the Speaker sought to give a final ruling on the
matter. He asked Pringle to restate his claim and asked the AG to respond before
he made his ruling.
The Opposition Leader repeated the assertion that Sir Robin said the oath, but that
he failed to subscribe (sign). “For any member to participate in any business of the
house, they must not only take the oath, according to Section 6 of the Standing
Orders, the member must do both things. This is not a matter of merely wanting to
be contentious, because if we are going to be doing things in this honourable
House, it must be done properly. Just simply to acknowledge an error and correct
it, you, Mr. Speaker, were sitting right there when the AG went off. I simply came
here to inquire, where do we go from here with that matter. I asked you to do your
investigations and get back to me,” he stated.
The Speaker then turned to Pringle and asked, “If it is, that what you are saying is
right, what turns on that, how can it be remedied?” In response, the Opposition
Leader said his understanding of the rules is that the member cannot participate in
any business of the House.
Called to respond, Benjamin stated that after considering the points made by
Pringle, he found that they were without merit. He explained, utilizing the Standing
Orders, that the first Order of Business is the election of the Speaker and a Deputy
Speaker, and in order for one to be deputy speaker, that person must first be a
member of the House. He then went into detail to explain that the opposition
member’s claims were not grounded on sound arguments.
In his ruling, The Speaker consulted the register where Dean Jonas signed in 2014,
Londel Benjamin signed in 2018 and he added that he even checked a video
recording of the matter and that he was satisfied that Sir Robin did sign. Further, he
noted that all the members of the opposition debated the budget and at no time
objected to the presence of Sir Robin in the House. “Consequently, the budget
completed and the legal principle applies here, you cannot approbate and
reprobate, that is, you cannot accept the he was right to participate in the budget
debate, voted on the budget and now want to raise this matter at the end. I rule that
Sir Robin did what was required and that the matter is now settled and to be
recorded in Hansard,” the Speaker declared.
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The writer of this article got it all wrong. It was discovered that Sir Robin Yearwood did not sign as a member of her house but as the Deputy Speaker. The Speaker of the house then drew the attention of the house that this has happened before in 2018 with Dean Jonas as Deputy Speaker and Londel Benjamin ss Deputy Speaker in 2014. Now to me if mistakes were made in the past then now is the time to correct it not to maintain the status quo. Come writer get it right!!!
The writer of this article got it all wrong. It was discovered that Sir Robin Yearwood did not sign as a member of her house but as the Deputy Speaker. The Speaker of the house then drew the attention of the house that this has happened before in 2018 with Dean Jonas as Deputy Speaker and Londel Benjamin ss Deputy Speaker in 2014. Now to me if mistakes were made in the past then now is the time to correct it not to maintain the status quo. Come writer get it right!!!
Duncey Bat Pringle finally grew up and is making frivolous points of order, appeals & has the most dumb questions. It’s not an over sight Pringle. It’s you trying a one hat pony show to appear relevant. Why don’t you go sit down and suck a rock. Your observations aren’t warranted.
@ Springle
I do not know which debate or parliamentary session you were listening to, obviously not the same one like the rest of us, for Pringle clearly embarrassed the Speaker and the member for City South showing up their ignorance with the standing orders AND procedures which caused them to capitulate.
Well done Pringle, you represented us well. Maybe Collin and the acolytes from the ABLP whom you have embarrassed are simply jealous of you.
@Springle. Are you sure it’s a rock you want Pringle to suck??
This old f**t is full of s**t.
The world sees his bias.
To hell with him and his constitution.
When is the speaker of the house to old to serve?
The speaker seems to me to be very miserable, and grumpy which are classic symptoms of old age.
Even if he was asked to serve he could have send no!!
Shouldn’t a younger person be taking over at some point?
Geeez!!
Time to retire, you old geeezer!!
When is a person to old to serve?
It’s obvious that the speaker is too old to serve!
He’s grumpy, has a short temper,
And quite miserable in my opinion.
It’s time for you to retire, and give a younger person a chance.
Even if you were asked to serve,
Even if you were begged to serve,
You could have respectfully declined.
I think you like the power, and you like to be on tv📺.
You old geezer!!
It’s time for you to go…geeez!!
The Speaker probably needs a reason to get out of his bed and house. I think I heard his wife died so he must be lonely. Don’t blame him, it is the Labour Party that nominated him the eighteenth candidate.
desperate UPP and Dry Hill trying all sorts a things, but Sir Robin nar tek dem on.
bunch a clowns for real
Sir Robin, does not have a clue
As to what’s going on..smh.
Don’t put politics into everything!
Look at everything issue objectively.
You are so very dishonest. I can see a price tag on your forehead. Since when Asot is a clown? People like you have benefitted from his largesse while he was with your tiefing cult but now he’s not towing the line and decided to challenge king thief, you see it fit to attack him. Grow some conscience.
@ Springle
The Opposition Leader Pringle along with his other colleagues including the MP from Barbuda and Independent MP from St Peter have turned the whole House of Parliament on its head with valid questions in the conduct of business with the rules and proceedures in Parliament. Thus as a result having both the Speaker of the House and AG baffled!!! Keep it up guys. ‘NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL’
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