Golding leads walkout after Speaker cuts off storm questions
Opposition Leader Mark Golding withdrew his parliamentary caucus from the House of Representatives on Tuesday after Speaker Juliet Holness stopped members from questioning Environment Minister Matthew Samuda. The confrontation started when St. Mary South Eastern representative Christopher Brown asked Samuda about contractor payments and earlier landslides following a briefing on Tropical Storm Melissa preparations. Holness ruled the inquiries violated Standing Orders that restrict non-spokesperson questions to topics directly addressing ministerial statements.
Government representative Everald Warmington twice invoked procedural rules while opposition members Damion Crawford and Julian Robinson objected before the speaker silenced them. Golding challenged the proceedings, but Holness deactivated his microphone and prompted the walkout as government legislators heckled departing opposition members. The People’s National Party held a news conference at Gordon House to condemn what they called biased conduct by the speaker. The party opposed Holness’s reappointment in September.
