By Clive Bacchus West Indies News Network from Caribbean News Now

ROSEAU, Dominica (WINN) — Plans by the opposition in Dominica to move a motion of no confidence against Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit hit a wall on Wednesday after opposition leader Lennox Linton refused a demand for an apology from Speaker Alix Boyd Knights and was barred from proceeding.

“I pointed out to the member that I have a general authority understanding order 86.1 and 2 to conduct the business of the house. I also pointed him to standing order 49 where the Speaker of the House or the Chairing committee shall be responsible for the observance for rules of the House. The member then suggested that I have a demon in me and says because I said it at some other point that it’s okay for him to say so. What the member does not realize is that I was responding to something that his side said and he now cannot say that I have a demon in me, which is exactly what he said and I think I am within my right both as Speaker and as a member of parliament to point out to him that he is using unparliamentary language towards me and that he was rude to suggest that I have a demon in me and I called on him to apologize and I am further stating that when he apologizes he can continue. If he’s not willing to continue can the next member rise to support the motion please,” the speaker said.

According to the opposition motion, the prime minister is allegedly mismanaging the economy, as evidenced by rising unemployment, sharp declines in performance of agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, construction, a massive national debt and an increase in the trade deficit.

Eventually the motion was defeated by the government side after the opposition MPs refused to speak in solidarity with Linton.

They also refused to register their votes on the motion after a count was requested in the House.

IMAGE:
Opposition Leader Lennox Linton speaking in Parliament

For more on this story go to: http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Motion-of-no-confidence-against-Dominica-PM-defeated-32228.html