Chaos briefly halted proceedings in the House of Representatives of Jamaica on Tuesday after Opposition MP Angela Brown Burke was named and suspended following an incident involving the ceremonial mace during debate on the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Bill.
The confrontation unfolded during a sitting of the Committee of the Whole House, where lawmakers were examining the bill clause by clause. Tensions escalated when Brown Burke, the MP for St Andrew South Western, touched the mace—widely regarded as the symbol of Parliament’s authority—prompting immediate intervention from Speaker Juliet Holness.
“Member, at no time can you grab the mace in Parliament. Not even in jest, member. And not in protest either,” Holness warned after proceedings resumed.
Under parliamentary rules, the Speaker formally “named” Brown Burke for what was deemed gross disorderly conduct, triggering her suspension for the remainder of the sitting. Despite repeated instructions to leave, the Opposition MP initially refused, leading the Speaker to direct the marshal to remove her from the chamber.
“Marshal, could you please remove the member immediately,” Holness said, as tensions rose and Opposition MPs reportedly attempted to block Brown Burke’s departure.
Leader of Government Business Floyd Green subsequently moved a motion to suspend Brown Burke, which was approved by Government members.
The incident drew sharp condemnation from the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), which described the MP’s actions as a serious breach of parliamentary rules and privilege.
“Removal of the mace is a clear breach of the Parliament’s Standing Orders and tantamount to disorderly conduct,” the party said in a statement on Wednesday, adding that interference with the mace is widely recognized across Commonwealth parliaments as a severe violation that can result in suspension or disciplinary action.
The JLP also criticized Brown Burke for initially defying the Speaker’s directive to leave the chamber, calling her behavior “unacceptable and a disgrace.”
JLP Communication Chairman Abka Fitz-Henley accused the Opposition of attempting to disrupt parliamentary business, particularly as lawmakers were debating legislation aimed at strengthening disaster recovery efforts.
The party further took aim at the People’s National Party (PNP), alleging that its members contributed to the disruption by supporting Brown Burke’s actions.
The dramatic exchange briefly overshadowed deliberations on the NaRRA Bill, a key piece of legislation intended to establish a national body to coordinate reconstruction and resilience efforts in the wake of disasters such as Hurricane Melissa.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness later appealed for calm, urging lawmakers to preserve the dignity of the House.
“What we are witnessing now is a display which… will not be among our best, and I think the order and dignity of the House must be preserved,” he said.
The sitting was suspended for five minutes before lawmakers resumed debate on the bill. Brown Burke later exited the chamber.
