Opposition stages parliamentary walk out

BenchesGeorgetown: Parliamentarians on the opposition side of the House today staged a walk out after Speaker Raphael Trotman abided by a High Court decision which affirmed the constitutional rights of Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee.

Leader of the Parliamentary Opposition Brigadier David Granger immediately rose to protest Trotman’s decision to allow the Home Affairs Minister to speak.

The walk out was staged after Rohee was allowed to address the House by Trotman. Both A Partnership of National Unity (APNU) and Alliance For Change (AFC) parliamentarians at first attempted to disrupt Rohee's address by heckling but were warned by the Speaker. It was at this point that they took their exit of the chambers but returned to the parliamentary lounge to have refreshments.

In January of this year Chief Justice Ian Chang ruled that the Minister Rohee by virtue of his being an elected member of the House is entitled to speak on behalf of those who elected him. This was after Attorney General, Anil Nandlall moved to the Court, challenging a decision by Speaker Trotman to send the opposition no- confidence motion which sought to gag Rohee to a Privileges Committee.