It was a Ho Ho Ho moment that puzzled and embarrassed security at the Parliament Buildings and now the Parliament Office has announced that it is investigating exactly how Jolly Old St. Nicholas was able to lean his entire body pass security and into the Parliamentary Chambers.
Just as Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo was delivering his contribution to the budget debate, someone dressed in a full Santa Claus outfit and carrying a dictionary gift and a bell, calmly walked into the Parliamentary Chambers.
The Clerk of the National Assembly described the action as a “serious security breach”.
Clerk Sherlock Issacs told reporters that he cannot recall anything of this nature ever happening. He stressed that it was a serious breach which is being investigated.
“They told me that apparently the person came in properly dressed and changed his/her clothes in the MPs washroom,” he explained.
The Santa Claus made his way into the Chamber using the entrance which is only used by government MPs and Parliamentary staff and began ringing a bell before announcing that she had a gift for the Opposition Leader which was a dictionary.
The Clerk said the person was apprehended by the assistant Sergeant of Arms, who is the internal security of the Assembly, but was taken away from them by someone who they thought was the Police.
“What I was told by the police at the Public Buildings is that a stranger snatched the persons and whisked them out of the compound,” he added.
Meanwhile, Opposition MP Clement Rohee said the Party has reason to believe that the person was an APNU/AFC supporter.
“How the assailant bypassed the elaborate security arrangements including TSU guards and the scanners on the ground floor of the parliament building is highly suspicious and questionable”, Rohee said.
He noted that the Opposition has formally written to the Clerk of National Assembly and has called for an urgent meeting of the Parliamentary Management Committee to investigate this breach of the security arrangements at Parliament.
He believes the breach extends to an attempted physical assault on Jagdeo.
A few weeks ago during President David Granger’s address to the Parliament, Opposition members pulled out placards and waved them throughout the President’s speech while they also heckled him and banged tables.
The placard that the Opposition Leader was waving, had an incorrect spelling of the word divided. That may have been the reason why Santa thought all he should get for Christmas is a dictionary.
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