Annisette-George not tolerating disorder

On that day, the Government and the Opposition engaged in a shouting match which ended when the Opposition MPs walked out of the Parliament.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday Annisette- George said Members of Parliament are expected to observe certain standards of conduct as set out in Standing Orders and dictated by well-established parliamentary practice and conventions.

She said it was her role as Speaker to maintain these standards by ensuring order and decorum.

She said it was an established parliamentary rule that every member should resume his or her seat as soon as the Speaker rises to speak or calls the House to order.

“It is also well-recognised that Members are enjoined to hear the Speaker in silence.

In that regard, when I intervene directly to call an individual Member to order, to respond to a point of order raised by a Member or to address this House in general, no Member is to speak.

Additionally Members when I stand, I am to be allowed to deliver directions or rulings and bring the House back to order in silence, without comment, intervention or protest,” she said.

She said while lively and passionate debate and cross talk are features of Parliamentary proceedings, there are occasions when passions become inflamed, excessive interjection occurs and the House becomes noisy and unruly. She said these flaring tensions must not degenerate into shouting, disruptive behaviour or disrespect to the Chair.

Annisette-George said remarks and outbursts made by any Member while she is on her legs will not be and are not considered part of the official proceedings of the House and will not be recorded in the Hansard.

“Any member who is of the opinion that shouting at the chair while the Speaker is standing will result in his or her offensive and disrespectful words being included in the Hansard record, is seriously misguided or has allowed himself or herself to be misdirected.

This principle also extends to Members who shout across the floor at each other while the chair is standing,” she said.

She said any Member who is called to order but persists in disorderly behaviour including interjecting in a disorderly manner and disregarding the authority of the Speaker will be called upon to apologise to the Chair.

“If also called upon to withdraw a remark, the Member must withdraw the remark and apologise immediately in a respectful manner, and unreservedly that is without conditions or qualifications.

If any member refuses to follow a direction from this chair is repeatedly called to order, disregards warnings or otherwise acts in defiance of a ruling or direction, I will not hesitate to exercise the prerogative of the Chair in relation to such offending Member until the offending Member accepts the authority of this Chair,” she said.

Annisette-George reminded the MPs that it was the duty of the Speaker to uphold the authority of the Chair.

“That authority is not the authority of the individual who happens to occupy it but of the House itself,” she said.