Opposition MPs Walk Out After Senate President Orders Pringle to Leave Joint Sitting
Opposition members staged a walkout from Tuesday’s joint sitting of Parliament after Senate President Alincia Williams-Grant ruled that Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle could not participate because he had not taken the required oath of allegiance.
The dramatic exchange unfolded moments after the sitting began, forcing a delayed start as Williams-Grant addressed members of both Houses and guests gathered for the ceremony.
Williams-Grant told the chamber the issue had been brought to her attention while she was in chamber and said she had attempted to notify Pringle beforehand so the matter could be resolved privately.
However, she said Pringle still attended the sitting, leaving her with no choice but to make a formal ruling publicly.
“I’m asking the honourable gentleman to remove himself from this proceedings this morning in this House,” Williams-Grant declared.
Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin immediately backed the ruling, arguing that the Constitution clearly states members must take the oath of allegiance before participating in parliamentary proceedings.
Benjamin said members who had not fulfilled the constitutional requirement could not lawfully take part in the sitting until the oath was administered.
Pringle later rose in response, stating that he understood the constitutional provisions but suggested the issue should have been addressed beforehand rather than publicly during the sitting.
The confrontation prompted opposition members to walk out of the chamber in protest, bringing heightened political tension to the joint sitting.
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Pringle Pringle Pringle. Don’t continue to make a fool of yourself. You already know the rules. You should not have attended in the first place.
Hey Ms lady there again,you were damn right in your statement “” the more things change to more they remain the same””
Some very wise words 🤔
I say the very same thing about Antiguas infrastructure and Affairs too🙄. HA!HA!
UPP is the walkout party. Maybe they should just keep walking.
He should have attended and sit in the gallery. Not as the Leader of the Opposition capacity. In my opinion,she would not be able to say anything to him then.One of the things,I have noticed in the parliament.They like to grab at straws and low hanging fruits.As a Nation,we need to rise above above such trivialities.
I will be interested to hear what his reasoning is. Will hold further comment until then.
No surprise that UPP disrespects the Nation’s CONSTITUTION because it disrespected its own. The UPP did not hold its April 2026 Leadership Convention as required by the party’s Constitution.
She could have informed him more privately unless the idea was to embarrass him. Having embarrassed him, it is reasonable that the senators walk out with him. All need to raise their game.
This Senate President or whatever she called dare to call the name of God in this Godless chamber of Parliament. Don’t call the Lord’s name in play/vain.
Sickening set ah people!
Watching all this play play and Parliamentary nonsense is a repeat and rinse of what has gone on before the last General Election.
They live in gilded cages, where on the outside they dress-up to the nines, but underneath this gilded presence is pure s#@t.
Don’t these politicians realise that we are sick of their behaviour; and all we Antiguans want them to do is reduce the cost of living, rising home invasions and the plethora of gunmen plaguing the country.
I’m lucky, I saw all this political bad behaviour continuing; and by the end of year (God spear mi life 🙏🏾) I’ll be uprooting and returning to my extended family abroad.
THESE GUYS CAN’T SEE THEY’RE DESTROYING THE COUNTRY WITH THEIR ANTICS…
You all knew he had a family mater with his daughter and your child procedure comes first so stop stressing him swear him in and get on with Antigua and Barbuda business please wasted time.
“I agree with you. We all face family health and medical issues. If he requested to take his oaths publicly, please grant that request before commencing with parliament’s business today. The parliamentary constitution needs to be reviewed to accommodate members who have children with health problems and must travel abroad during the oath-signing ceremony. For anyone who missed the ceremony due to a family medical emergency, they should be allowed to take and sign their oaths immediately upon their return, before regular parliament business begins. We are all human, and our time will come when we will face similar family crises.”
What part of he was inform before the sitting you guys didn’t understand,please read the article again.
UPP supporters are here acting like he didn’t swear in because of family matters and this is his first time he didn’t know he had to swear in first………Next time me go jury duty I am gonna just walk up and be on this case as a juror because I can…..Stop being a trouble maker and take politics serious!!! Go do some courses online and find a speech therapist…
@ this world, and hopefully Maurice ‘I-Am-A-Robot’ Merchant goes to the same speech therapist as well…
Boy resign and go take care a your family.
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