With the lights, internet and air conditioning turned off in the Parliament Chamber, the Opposition People’s Progressive Party has indicated that it will not be moved from its position that its Member, Bishop Juan Edghill should remain in the Chamber, despite the ruling of the Speaker.

Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo hurried down to the Parliament and met with the Speaker. Moments after the one-hour meeting with Speaker Barton Scotland, Mr. Jagdeo told his colleagues that they will continue to sit in the Chamber until the end of the day in support of Mr. Edghill.

Jagdeo said he did not “get far” in asking the Speaker to have a member adjourn the sitting which was earlier suspended for the removal of Edghill after he was rendered out of order.

The Speaker intends to resume the sitting but only after Eghill has removed himself from the Chamber.

So far, he continues to protest that request.

The suspension took effect just after noon and over time saw attempts by the Police to remove Edghill

Earlier, Government Minister and former Speaker Raphael Trotman called on the PPP MPs to de-escalate the situation by removing Edghill from the Chamber, which would make way for the Speaker’s return and the commencement of a resolution.

“The Speaker cannot be expected to resume the Chair where there is a breakdown of order,” Trotman said, adding that as a Government Minister, he’s quite distressed at the evolving pattern of disrespect and is even more amazed at the rapid decent of disorder.

The entire chaos in the House started after Edghill refused the Speaker’s order to take his seat during the consideration of the estimates for the Ministry of the Presidency.

Although the parties had agreed on the two-hour timeline for questioning, Edghill demanded more time and refused to take his seat even as the Speaker warned him that he was out of order.
He declared that he has no problem being out of order but would not be moved.

It was then that the Speaker urged the Sergeant At Arms to assist in Edghill’s removal. When that failed, the Speaker suspended the sitting.

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