Debate on the 2025 budget has ended in the Lower House.
Prime Minister Gaston Browne wrapped up debate on the budget after a stand-off over speaking order.
Watch the commotion in the house earlier this afternoon with the House Speaker trying to rein in members of the opposition.
The disturbances began when Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle returned from the lunch break to see Prime Minister Gaston Browne closing the budget debate.
This is when the hour-long stand off began.
The disagreement only ended after Opposition MP’s moved a motion to suspend the House which was defeated.
The Budget debate ended with only 3 speakers on the government side and 2 on the opposition side of the house debating.
The Budget proceeded to committee stage and was passed. The parliament then moved on to consider other bills.
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UPP is a big joke of a political party …….
@whenever.
The big joke is that your t leader who keeps throwing out promises after promises with none of them ever fulfilled.
By this time you should call him the biggest joker in Caribbean politics as a leader.
The opposition is not running the country fool. Go tell Gatson Browne to clean up St Johns that’s stink to high heavens.
Only a matter of time before we see fist fights being introduced into our Parliament. We are like warring tribes and our Parliament has becomed more polarized and dysfunctional because as adults we do not know how to advocate constructively.
WOW! How did Gaston know these guys would not speak after he yield for them. These guys are worst than I thought, all politics aside the UPP needs real, real help. Blue or Red, its time to be real! Antigua has no viable opposition. My heart goes out to Lewis, he really was robbed of the leadership. It’s time for a shake up in the UPP, they can’t go on like this, total embarrassment!, what a political party., help them Lord….
We all live inna Antigua, you mean to tell me after 10 years of ABLP governance, an Opposition MP STILL needs to hear Health Minslister Molwyn Joseph speak in order to debate on the issue of Health in parliament? I can leave from by me Kip-woman right now n go Oppose that budget in Parliament for 5 HOURS!!!! Smh
Lol y’all say Gaston bad, but you continuously load his gun to use against you 🤣🤣.. so the more you talk the more support he gets. Just shut up and wait your turn and stop making a clown of yourselves.
Pringle spoke, Richard spoke so there are three other Opposition members to speak Bowen, Watts and Simon what then is the big fuss. One of them could have spoken. Walker said that he left home his notes. My focus is on the Opposition UPP and it did not look good for them today. It was like comedy. The UPP needs to get its act together and very fast.
I am shamed of everyone in that house, I see folks that seem incompetent. Even the speaker seems as if he does not have the intelligence and vocabulary to be in house house. Why is our speaker unable to speak?
This is honestly becoming annoying, can’t anyone else see this? Is it just me that knows competent people exist for this job?
The speaker must go, he does not have the intelligence or vocabulary for the speaker of a house. I was so embarrassed watching this.
I am not a person who likes talking about education and intelligence in this context but oh my goodness. Let us try to look professional and developed in such sacred and powerful place of government.
Also, AG demeanor when I was watching was like he knew the PM would say you did not stick up for me, so the AG just shouted shut up, more to please the PM. As his body language seem to agree with the opposition but was not able to express that in fear of the PM. What on earth is going on here?
This is why certain people preferred Richard Lewis for leader
Gaston Brown speaks of “lack of decorum!”
The dumbing down of the UPP at the hands of the Pringle Puppet continues!
What a total disgrace!
Incompetence beyond belief!
And when Gaston yielded to this fools gallery, Trevor said “I left home my notes”
You can’t make this stuff up.
What did granny say? The fish rots from the head. Well Pringle is the rotten dunce-no-fk fish head and the body is being consumed by maggots day by day.
Bunch of cowards,, on the government side, who cannot even attempt to defend their own budget.
Is the UPP still getting “stronger than ever?”
Asking for a friend. lol
Labour for another 100 years! Tired of UPP!
No one cares about your strategy!
The PM already presented, y’all rass not talking, he’ll wrap up!
Laybaaa Aaaaaaalllllll dddiiii wwwwaaayyyy!!!
Call di election now Gassy!
Ouch! The speaker of the house said this is the house of parliament of ALP and Gaston, not the people of Antigua and Barbuda.
How the hell Walker leaving His notes at home. Walker is sounding FOOLISH. He should be ashame. BIG JOKER WALKER.
Although I am in agreement that all the government ministers should present first, since in this debate the government ministers have the detailed allocations and business plans etc for their ministers.
However the opposition accepted that they were going to speak alternately,not on paper or verbal agreement by action. So before they went lunch Malford Nicholas made his presentation. It was understood that a UPP MP would speak after lunch.
They purposely came back late, expecting that one of the ABLP MP would have spoken. So what Gaston and all his ministers decided to rap up in the absence of the UPP MPs. That was a big stunt since every minister should have used the opportunity to go into details of his plans for 2025. Instead they purposely did not rise and allowed Gaston to rap up. Gaston recognized that the UPP MPs were not willing to speak yielded , to allow anyone in both sides to speak. He and his colleagues had already agreed that none of them on his side could stand and present.
With the UPP party with so much internal problems I think it was an opportunity for them to do some rebuilding. So Trevor, Suggy , Serpent, Bowen and Anthony Smith did not debate on opposition and independent bench and Chet , Cutie , Dorel, Robin, Maulwin and Fanandez did not speak in the government side . Which was also wrong.
I think that if the opposition did not debate the budget, they should not stay there and listen to the PM round up . Worst yet they did not debate the budget but stayed and debated other supplementary bill – did that makes sense ?
After three years in parliament UPP candidates only departed once .
Everyone is overlooking the fact that this is or was an ABLP BUDGET…Why is the world would members on the government side not want to speak on their own budget? Why would members on the government allowed the opposition’s ” cooping” behavior prevent them from speaking on their own budget? The answer is simple…fear. They are afraid of Hon Trevor Walker…In fact they are the ones cooping, wanting to have the last say.
In closing here is the quote of the century,,,,” YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK, WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE IS THE RIGHT NOT TO SPEAK”….Gaston browne. To which I would reply REALLY?
Lets face it headon…The UPP tried a stunt ..and FAILED! Then they were out maneuvered by Gassy,Period.
Then this thing where Walker wanted to ‘Go home for his notes’. What a pile a crap!
Can some one please advise if Shuggy and Serpent..Spoke???
poor Pringle so DUNCE & DUMB and don’t even realize it! The more ignorant, the more unsocialized he behaves.
I know Richard Lewis face was saying “This is who they chose over me?”
a PISS POOR EXCUSE FOR A “LEADER”
Acting like children and they want to be leaders and govern this country! UPP NAH READY!
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