Speaker suspends opposition’s Sherod Duncan for defying orders

Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nadir had reason to suspend opposition Member of Parliament, Sherod Duncan, Wednesday evening, after he repeatedly failed to adhere to orders.

Duncan walked into the Committee of Supply during the consideration of the budget estimates of Region Five (Demerara-Mahaica) and began lambasting government parliamentarians. He was heard repeating the word “nasty” and even accused the Speaker of being prejudicial.

Calls by the Speaker for him to be seated went unheeded.

After disregarding the Speaker’s warnings, the parliamentarian was suspended.

Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira, MP, then moved a motion that Duncan be suspended for the next four sittings. Votes were cast in this  regard.

Tonight’s episode follows similar behavior and defiance by the opposition, to keep the civility in the House.

In a previous sitting in December, when Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh opened the debate on the Natural Resource Fund (NRF), he was swarmed by whistle-blowing Opposition Members.

After they failed to prevent Minister Singh from speaking, MP Annette Ferguson attempted to cart off the Mace, to no avail. The move was labelled “treacherous” by the Speaker.