House Speaker says Opposition Leader’s Letter Misleading, Misrepresented

Kareem Musa

House Speaker Laura Tucker Longsworth responded to Briceño’s letter today, saying that his statements are misleading and the facts are misrepresented. Longsworth tells Briceño that on October fourth, as the five write-off motions were moved on Friday, August sixteenth and should have been debated forthwith. Longsworth continues to say that she looked on both sides of the Chamber and none of the members of the Opposition rose to debate the motions. The motions were then referred to the Finance and Economic Development Committee. According to the Speaker, there is no provision in the Standing Orders for a second debate to take place. Longsworth turns the table on Briceño and says that the letter, “sent to me should, instead, be directed to the Honourable Members of the Opposition for them to provide you with their reasons why they failed to debate the Motion on sixteenth August 2019, when the Motion was presented. Perhaps they do not fully understand the procedures laid out in the Standing Orders.” Caribbean Shores Area Representative Kareem Musa managed to speak generally on the motion during the adjournment.

Hipolito Novelo

“What are the Standing Orders saying in terms of the House because the Speaker says that before it went to committee no one got up to debate it?”

Kareem Musa, Area Representative, Caribbean Shores Division

“When it comes back from committee as I understand it Hipolito that is when it is to be debate but according to the Speaker on that day it was already for second reading and then it went to committee. And so there was no right of reply and we still got an opportunity. I was still able to raise that point on the adjournment.”

Hipolito Novelo

“Generally…”

Kareem Musa

“And of course in a general way because the Opposition was prevented from  raising that very important issue.”