Opposition to meet with Dalrymple-Philibert to discuss grouses regarding her rulings

The Parliamentary Opposition has written to House Speaker Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert over what it says is the manner in which she has been executing her duties in the office. 

Opposition Leader Mark Golding, who was speaking to journalists Sunday afternoon at a meeting of the People's National Party's National Executive Council (NEC), said the Opposition has requested a meeting with Dalrymple-Philibert. 

Golding said while he will not be at the meeting, a date for which has already been set, four present and former leaders of government business are expected to be in attendance. 

“We hope to get a better understanding of how this parliament ought to be managed. In terms of what will actually take place on Tuesday, I don't want to pre-empt that,” said Golding. 

The request was triggered after Government and Opposition members traded “unparliamentary” comments during Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke's closing of the Budget Debate last Tuesday.  

Golding led an Opposition walkout when Clarke, during his presentation, called him “Massa Mark” and the House descended into chaos as members hurled insults at each other. 

He said the speaker took no action in relation to Clarke's repeated comment which he thought to be offensive. 

“When the speaker of the House displayed no inclination to deal with the matter at hand and got sucked into a total red herring, which was about the rude banter that Angela Brown Burke was responding to, when she stood on her point of order, I just said I'm going to make a statement. 

“This is an unacceptable way of dealing with a serious issue so I decided to leave,” Golding said outside of the NEC meeting at Calabar High School in St Andrew. 

-Kimone Francis

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