Opposition MP Anthony Hylton tabled the censure motion on Tuesday in the House of Representatives.
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By Kimone Witter
The Parliamentary Opposition is demanding that the debate on its censure motion against the Government be resumed, with all members permitted to speak, after the motion was closed by Leader of Government Business Floyd Green.
The debate was brought to a close after two contributions, one from each side of the House.
Mr. Green dismissed the motion as absurd and invoked Standing Order 38, which provides for the closure of the debate.
A standoff then ensued inside the Chamber, with Opposition members refusing to take their seats in protest against the decision.
The motion, that was tabled by Opposition MP Anthony Hylton on Tuesday, called for the Government to be censured for misleading the House on the change in the long-standing policy in relation to its vote at the United Nations regarding the lifting of the United States embargo against Cuba.
In a release on Wednesday, the Opposition condemned what it said was the Government's brazen manipulation of Standing Orders to stifle debate on the censure motion.
It explained that it had expected the motion to be debated at the next sitting of the House, as Standing Orders prohibit debate on the same day a motion is tabled.
The Opposition said the debate, on this matter of grave national importance, remains unfinished and must be resumed when next the House sits.
It added that the Government's mishandling of the Cuba vote at the UN has badly damaged Jamaica's reputation, and that this was facilitated by the earlier deception of Parliament.
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