Parliament saw another opposition walk-out Wednesday after embattled Speaker of the House Giselle Isaac refused to allow the Antigua Labour Party time to study 30 of the government's amendments to the Anti-Money Laundering legislation.
“This is a travesty of the parliamentary system, and an abuse of the slender majority which the UPP commands at this time,” ALP leader Lester Bird told several media houses. “The parliament is not a place where fairness and comity end at the door. Clearly, the ALP does not perceive this important legislation, affecting our offshore financial services, as a partisan issue. All of Antigua and Barbuda is affected by the outcome."
Bird again described the UPP government as illegitimate, alluding to pending court decisions surrounding the last elections.
He said the ALP "will not allow our parliamentary system to be degraded and destroyed by the unlawful action of a government whose legitimacy is not established."
Meanwhile, the UPP parliamentarians continued to discuss the amendments inside the chamber.
Isaac had reportedly ruled that since Parliament was reconvening after its February 11 sitting, there had been sufficient time to study the amendments. However, the ALP said in a statement that it had only received the documents two days before.
Bird spent 20 minutes unsuccessfully seeking a week-long postponement to review the amendments, along with a report from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on deficiencies in the legislation.
The five UPP parliamentarians present agreed with the Speaker, and insisted on proceeding, prompting Bird and his counterparts to leave the debate.
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written by sirier48, March 04, 2010
THE BEHAVIOR OF ALP IS EXACTLY EQUAL TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. NO TO EVERYTHING, AND DISRUPT EVERYTHING THAT IS FOR THE BETTERMENT OF THE COUNTRY. BUT EVEN STEVIE WONDER CAN SEE THROUGH THAT. WAKE UP PEOPLE.
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written by me, March 04, 2010
Our Speaker of the House needs to be impartial as much as possible. I am disappointed with her behavior which does not speak much of her interest in promoting fairness in our Parliament and providing the environment for well reasoned debate there. Play on.....
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written by Antiguan, March 04, 2010
Did any of you watch the actual coverage of Parliament? Watch the clip first the speak and comment after...
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written by KnightRider, March 03, 2010
ALP, UPP: It all looks like "Lord of the Flies" to the rest of the world.
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written by KnightRider, March 03, 2010
Seems like a meaningless fight to me. After all, now that Antigua has established it's "reputation", what offshore investor would invest a penny?
Maybe they should fight over water rations, or food supply, things Antigua might still have this time next year. Maybe.
Maybe they should fight over water rations, or food supply, things Antigua might still have this time next year. Maybe.
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written by Pianissimo, March 03, 2010
ALP will do anything they want to do and none of you rabid UPP dogs can do anything about it.
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written by ginger, March 03, 2010
You hit the right pan de head. The ALP leaders really think that Antiguans are dotish, deaf and blind. It frightens me that these so called competent, experienced representatives are playing warri with people. They point fingers at the UPP calling them incapable, inexperienced etc and now they have the chance to show what they can do they get on chupit. Yet they LOVE this country and its people. Are we to believe the former PM is getting senile therefore losing some sense of understanding or is your intellect failing you that's why he wants 2 more weeks? Or is it that the magistrate will be handing down her decision on the election cases? Since you had so much to say when the matter reared its head the other day, i expect you as a capable and competent leader who thinks on his feet should not need time. Is this the best you can do, STALL? Come on!!
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written by Lamanex, March 03, 2010
Antigua government is a mess. There should be punishment for such lewd behavior, Lester is treating the government as iligitimate although he admits that the courts have not yet made a decision on the election hearings. Yet the labor party is acting as if they already know what the decision is by refering to the government as being illigitimate and treating them as such. Lester put the shoe on the other foot and see if you would have accepted such behavior if you were the elected Prime Minister. You are all setting bad standards for your country, remember what goes around comes around.
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written by Aristotle, March 03, 2010
Gimme a break! You they were not given the document today, neither did they know about the document today! They are trying in every way possible to cripple this government, by just being fools- when they not sick in court, they walk out, they tell lies and you name it!
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written by Aristotle, March 03, 2010
When they were in power they did as they pleased. Noone felt they were untouchables like the ALP Government Ministers when they were in Government. Ley dem walk out one day dem go walk out fu good!!!
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written by bob, March 03, 2010
for weeks they were on zdk talking about the very amendments and now need more time.this has nothing to do with the actual amendments, they are just stalling time for somthing else.
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written by Irene, March 03, 2010
THEY HAD TIME TO REVIEW....2 DAYS BEFORE IS A LIE AND THE CONTINUED LIES LESTER CONTINUES TO TELL THIS COUNTRY...
The country doesnt have time to wait and give lester 2 weeks to review some simple amendments...GIMME A BREAK!!!!
If eeryone would do what they suppose to do instead of sittinaround playing politics then this country would be better off.
The country doesnt have time to wait and give lester 2 weeks to review some simple amendments...GIMME A BREAK!!!!
If eeryone would do what they suppose to do instead of sittinaround playing politics then this country would be better off.
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written by Johnny, March 03, 2010
Isaac had reportedly ruled that since Parliament was reconvening after its February 11 sitting, there had been sufficient time to study the amendments
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written by Mike, March 03, 2010
We must be living in a dictatorship since democracy dictate one is allotted time to study one’s opponent ideas then indicate whether or not you agree with such idea and why. How then can you be given something today and then expected to debate on it. This is just madness and a typical example of the gutter where our country is now.
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