At this time, parliamentarians from the Government and the Opposition Party are still going at it in a heated budget debate. Today was the second reading of the General Revenue Appropriation Bill for the fiscal year 2021/2022 - which, in regular language, means the two-day budget debate.
But instead of the back and forth, we start our coverage with an announcement from House Speaker Valerie Woods.
You'll remember how the Opposition Party staged a mass walkout 2 weeks ago. That's after PUP's Julius Espat referred to their Leader, Patrick Faber, as "Boy" in a heated exchange in the House. The UDP thinks that it was Espat used unparliamentary language, and the Speaker of the House tried to resolve the dispute shortly after it happened.
This morning, she told the 31 house members that she understands that she isn't presiding over a church service, but she reminded them that House Debates are NOT street brawls:
Hon. Valerie Woods - Speaker of the House "Following the disorderly events that immediately preceded the adjournment of this House on the last occasion, I have since met with the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, and the Member for Cayo South. I did so sincerely, in an attempt to ensure that moving forward, there's not a repeat of what had transpired at the last meeting. The Standing Orders of this House require that all members refrain from using unparliamentary language. You elected me to fairly and impartially referee the proceedings of this House, according to the rules set out in the Standing Orders. That is exactly what I intend to do for so long as I remain the presiding officer of this chamber. Members, I get it. House Meetings are not Sunday School or church service, but neither is House Meetings at street brawl or a pub brawl. It should be the place where the chosen representatives of the people debate policy and high matters of state."
