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The opposition walked out of Parliament on Tuesday after they were not allowed by the House Speaker to ask questions related to Integrity Commission's report on her statutory filings.
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Opposition Spokesman on Finance Julian Robinson
By Kimone Witter
The parliamentary opposition is to decide whether it will boycott next week's sitting of the House of Representatives if Speaker of the House Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert does not recuse herself from leading the proceedings.
The opposition has said the House Speaker should not have presided over Tuesday's sitting of the House, and has called for Prime Minster Andrew Holness to take action in light of the Director of Corruption Prosecution's ruling that she be charged for breaches of the Integrity Commission Act.
Speaking Wednesday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106, spokesperson on Finance, Julian Robinson, said he will not be in the chamber next week, if Mrs Darylmple-Philibert decides not to step back.
"There's no parliament anywhere in the world where a Speaker can have a referral for a criminal prosecution and she continues to preside over the matter while those charges are over her head. It is wrong; the principle is wrong. I can't understand how somebody can't see that," he lamented.
The opposition spokesman argued that Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert should have come to Parliament on Tuesday, made her statement, then recused herself and remained on the back benches of the House until the matter is cleared.
"I don't understand how she don't see that and how the Jamaica Labour Party and the government, who would have been aware of this report, wouldn't compel her to do that. That's basic principles of good governance," he contended.
Mr. Robinson said it is not enough for the Speaker to recuse herself from chairing the Ethics Committee of Parliament to which she has sent the Integrity Commission report for review.
He added that it is also inappropriate for the matter to be discussed by the Integrity Commission Oversight Committee.
Mrs Dalrymple-Philibert is accused of making a false statement in her statutory declarations filed over a six-year period in relation to a car that she purchased in 2015 with the benefit of a 20 per cent duty concession.
In her statement on the matter, the House Speaker said she forgot about the vehicle which she had acquired for $6 million, as it was used primarily by her relatives.
She said she is surprised at the conclusion by the Integrity Commission that she knowingly failed to declare the vehicle which was acquired via a loan, as she has always been compliant in the filing of her statutory declaration.
Mrs Dalrymple-Philibert has committed to resubmit correct documents to the commission today, adding that the matter is in the hands of her legal team.
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