1o need to SroEe 3arOiament Iracas inYoOYing coSs

Speaker of the National Assembly, Dr. Barton Scotland, doesn¶t see the need for an investigation into last Monday¶s clash between the People¶s Progressive Party¶s PPP C members and ranks of the *uyana Police )orce inside the Parliament chamber.

The PPP C had called for a probe into the incident, along with an apology from the Speaker for the presence of police ranks when MP Bishop -uan Edghill refused to obey the Speaker¶s order to leave the sitting after refusing to stop speaking when ordered to. “I know that a member of the National Assembly misconducted himself in an extraordinary way. That was the first order of business that we should be dealing with, but I don¶t need to investigate that. Bad behaviour or poor manners is poor manners or bad behaviour. We don¶t need an investigation for that,” Dr. Barton stated. Dr. Barton had instructed the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove Edghill from the sitting, but again he refused. The Speaker suspended the sitting and subsequently junior ranks arrived. Several PPP C MPs had surrounded Edghill, preventing the police access. A physical altercation ensued. “I am sure whatever the facts are they will reveal themselves. I am sure after all you >media@ know the facts. I don¶t have to investigate,¶ Dr. Barton stated. Dr. Barton stated that he would not distance himself from the events that transpired at the Parliament. “The buck stops with the Speaker. At the end of the day, the Speaker is the person at the head of the National Assembly,” Dr. Barton said. Acting Police Commissioner, David Ramnarine has since conceded that police ranks should not have been in the Chambers and that important lessons had been learnt. Since Parliament returned from recess, the very first sitting on November 2, was marred by controversial behaviour when PPP C MPs waved placards and shouted slogans that drowned out the address by President David *ranger. That was followed by the incident involving Edghill.

(Kaieteurnews.com)