Junior Social Protection Minister Keith Scott and Minister of Citizenship Winston Felix did not take up their seats in the House today in keeping with a recent ruling by former acting Chief Justice Ian Chang that they could not sit in the National Assembly.
Speaker Dr Barton Scotland indicated that the Scott and Felix would not be occupying their seats. Scott turned up for the sitting, but he did not enter the chamber. He left just before the sitting started. Felix, meanwhile, was a no show.
Scotland told the House that former attorney general Anil Nandlall had sent him a copy of the ruling which proved to be useful. He said that he had of yesterday decided that the information available in the newspaper was “sufficiently reliable” for him to act on and that he would have asked them not to occupy their seats. He made it clear that he had not been served with a court order.
Earlier today at a press conference PPP General Secretary Clement Rohee called the duo “ministerial squatters” and expressed hope that the Speaker, in the light of the court ruling, would ask that they not take up their seats.
Meanwhile Attorney General Basil Williams has vowed that government will leave no stone unturned in ensuring that both members return to their seats.
No mention was made of replacements.
