Tempers flared in the House of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon after Jamaica’s Opposition Leader Mark Golding led a walkout of Opposition members, accusing Speaker Juliet Holness of unfairly silencing their attempts to question Environment Minister Matthew Samuda.
The confrontation unfolded shortly after Samuda delivered a statement on Tropical Storm Melissa and the government’s preparations for the system, which is expected to affect the island within the next 48 hours.
St. Mary South Eastern MP Christopher Brown attempted to question Samuda about previous landslides and outstanding payments to contractors, but Speaker Holness repeatedly interrupted him, ruling that his inquiries were unrelated to the minister’s statement.
Holness cited the Standing Orders, explaining that only the Opposition spokesperson is allowed five minutes to respond to a ministerial statement, while other members—Government or Opposition—may ask questions directly related to the statement.
Government MP Everald Warmington twice rose on a point of order to reinforce that position, drawing objections from Opposition members, including St. Catherine North Western MP Damion Crawford and St. Andrew South Eastern MP Julian Robinson. Both were cut off mid-sentence by Holness.
“Members, it is very evident that the questions are not in respect of this statement by the minister,” the Speaker said, maintaining her stance even as tensions rose across the chamber.
Golding then rose to protest, saying, “Madam Speaker, I’m very concerned by the way the proceedings are being conducted. We’re attempting to ask questions arising from the statement. The statement was a wide-ranging statement…”
Before he could continue, Holness cut his microphone, prompting Golding to lead a walkout of Opposition members amid jeers from Government MPs.
The dramatic exit took place during only the third sitting of the new parliamentary term. The Opposition later called a press conference at Gordon House to address what they described as the Speaker’s continued bias and suppression of legitimate parliamentary debate.
In September, the People’s National Party stated that it was not in support of the reappointment of Holness as House Speaker.
