PPP “cut and run” out of Parliament after Jagdeo’s budget contribution

Mr. Jagdeo spoke for over one hour and forty-five minutes, and just after his speech, the PPP members stood to their feet to begin their walk out.

PPP “cut and run” out of Parliament after Jagdeo’s budget contribution

Just like they did last year during the budget debates,  the People’s Progressive Party Civic Members of Parliament walked out of House on Friday following the contribution of the Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo.

Mr. Jagdeo spoke for over one hour and forty-five minutes, and just after his speech, the PPP members stood to their feet to begin their walk out.

They put a brief hold to their walk out as the Speaker enquired from them whether they did not believe that the Guyanese people needed them to be there after so much accusations were leveled against the government and Jagdeo himself spoke for a long time.

 The Speaker told them they should reconsider their walk out, but his concern fell on deaf ears as they all rose to their feet and walked out as the Prime Minister was about to begin his presentation.

The Prime Minister will actually start his presentation after the one hour coffee recess.

Mr. Jagdeo said his party was walking out over the position that he had to speak. He explained like he did last year, that it had been a standing principle of the House during the PPP’s term in office that the Opposition Leader speaks then the Finance Minister wraps up the budget.

He does not believe the Prime Minister as Leader of the House should speak after him and before the Finance Minister closes the debate.

 The last two speakers for the 2016 debates are Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

When it was in government, the PPP openly criticized the then Opposition whenever they would walk out of Parliament. Since being bumped over into the Opposition benches, the PPP walked out of Parliament on at least four occasions in less than a year.

 As Jagdeo and his colleagues walked out, Prime Minister Nagamootoo shouted “cut and run, cut and run.”

During Mr. Jagdeo’s presentation, some Opposition members left the Chamber after listening to him for over 90 minutes.

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