As the National Assembly’s Committee of Supplies descended into chaos following the refusal by Opposition Member of Parliament Bishop Juan Edghill to  leave the Chamber on the order of the Speaker,  PPP Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira believes the Speaker should stand down from that position and allow the work of the Committee and the Assembly to move forward.

As the Parliamentary Office called in the Police for assistance to get Mr. Edghill to leave the Chamber, the PPP Members of Parliament formed a human circle around him and started to sing “We Shall Overcome”.

Police ranks moved in and were shoved and pushed back by the PPP MPs.  One rank had his shirt ripped apart as A’ Division Commander, Marlon Chapman moved in and withdrew his ranks.

It was at that stage that a tearful PPP Member of Parliament, Priya Manickchand came forward saying that she had been shoved to the chest by the Police.  Through tears, Ms. Manickachand claimed that her chest must be “black and blue” from what she called the “assault by the Police”.

She said the Police still cannot say who was the person dressed as Santa Claus and turned up in Parliament last week during the Opposition Leader’s speech, but the Force was somehow quick in its response to ensure the Speaker’s orders.

While all of that was taking place, Government Members had already left the Chambers. Minister of Natural Resources and former Speaker Raphael Trotman approached the PPP MPs, in an effort to offer some mediation between them and the Speaker.

“Tell him to stand down”, PPP Chief Whip Gail Teixeira said, as she complained that the Speaker is biased against the PPP and was refusing to offer the party more time to question Government members about the budget estimates and allocations.

Speaker Scotland earlier this afternoon ordered the PPP Member Bishop Edghill out of the Chamber after declaring that he was out of order with his decision to refuse the Speaker’s order to take his seat and allow the Committee to move on with its work.

Edghill shouted that he did not mind being out of order.

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