REAL NEWS: The suspension of MP Asot Michael appears to have been orchestrated, says D.Gisele Isaac, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, as she commented on the Member’s ejection from the Parliament on Thursday, May 18.
The Lower House voted to suspend the St. Peter MP from the Parliament for three consecutive sittings after he made scathing remarks to House Speaker Sir Gerald Watt, who had ordered Michael to leave the Chamber.
Michael had argued that the Speaker’s ruling was biased, since a similar order had not been given to Prime Minister Gaston Browne.
According to Michael, Browne – engaging in the cross-talk that Watts had forbidden – had imputed improper motives and used insulting language to him on several occasions, contrary to proper parliamentary conduct. However, the Speaker had failed to check Browne, he said.
Sir Gerald then asked the MP to leave the chamber and later called on the sergeant-at-arms to remove him. It was then that Michael “called out” Sir Gerald, prompting the latter to “name” the member and call on the House to suspend him.
Commenting on the fracas, Isaac says the Speaker failed to adequately fulfill his duty to protect Michael, a minority member, from the aggression of the prime minister.
Michael is an independent member of the Lower House, the first and only one in the history of the Parliament.
