Speaker Takes “Yellow Man” to Nat’l Assembly Staff Committee

Brian “Yellow Man” Audinette’s fate as macebearer and sergeant at arms of the House of Representatives will be determined on June ninth, when the National Assembly Staff Committee convenes.  That meeting had been scheduled well ahead of the embarrassing ordeal that played out in the gallery of the Assembly Building on May seventeenth, when Yellow Man threatened and attacked the media during a sitting of the Senate Special Select Committee.  The regrettable incident and the likely consequences of roughing up Krem News Director Marisol Amaya and two cameramen will be high on the agenda when that group meets.  It is unclear what the outcome will be, however, the People’s United Party is on record demanding his removal as an official in parliament.  That cry is being echoed by Canon Leroy Flowers of the Anglican Diocese.  Earlier today, we spoke with Speaker of the House of Representatives Laura Longsworth.  She heads the National Assembly Staff Committee.

Laura Longsworth

Laura Longsworth, Speaker of the House

“As the Speaker of the National Assembly, I have the responsibility for the overall management of the chambers, as well as anything else that comes up and that’s covered and mandated by standing orders that says that I am to manage things that happen even outside of the actual chambers of the National Assembly.  I did receive the letter.  I was out of the country so I reviewed it and so it’s good that the letter was sent.  I also received a request for action from Canon Flowers, from the Anglican Diocese and what is going to take place, what was in the making, it’s just that this problem will now be put on the agenda for the meeting of the National Assembly staff committee.  The national staff committee is mandated and given authority over the National Assembly, the staff of the National Assembly as it relates to separation of powers, and so the Speaker, with her committee, really manages the affairs of those that are managed by the assembly.  We have a staff committee meeting scheduled for June ninth, that’s a Friday, at two o’clock in the afternoon, where this staff committee members will sit down and go through the agenda, but this in particular has been placed high on the agenda for us to make sure that we explore it fully.  I have looked at all the legislation that covers and manages the assembly, looked at the constitution.  The act and the regulation actually refers you to the constitution where you can get guidelines on the conduct of officers employed by the National Assembly and then of course the regulation tells you what you can do, what you can’t do and how to discipline someone.”