And while the PSU is waiting to see what the PUP will do, the UDP is condemning the government for what they refer to as "bullying" the Albert area rep, Tracy Taegar Panton.
Panton rose in last week Friday's House Meeting during the adjournment to speak about what she calls a lack of transparency within the government, but she was interrupted seven times by the prime minister, Minister of Youth and Sports, Kevin Bernard, and Minister of Public Service, Henry Charles Usher.
The UDP then say that when the PM rose to respond, he employed "bullying tactics" by saying he will make sure that she is retired next elections. Here is a snippet from those interactions from the House Meeting last Friday.
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I have made the point, she is going through line item by line item and then it would be unfair then for me to be able to answer every single thing she is bringing up, because I don't have all of the information, the other ministers would be able to go into great detail. I can answer most of what she is saying, but she cant be talking on the budget. She is going through the entire ministry. We need to call her attention to speak to one matter. I would be more than happy to answer her. We are not fighting with her, but she needs to follow the standard orders Mr. Speaker."
Hon. Tracey Taegar- Panton, UDP Alberts
"The matter is about transparency and accountability and if the prime minister and his cabinet and his members on that side would provide the information there would be no need for me to ask the questions. This is not about thje budget. The plane landing had nothing to do with the budget."
"What is the point of order?"
Speaker of the House
"Point of order. Sit down man, you see we are standing up on a point of order."
Hon. Tracey Taegar- Panton, UDP Alberts
"What is the point of order?"
Speaker of the House
"You are jumping from one point to the next and I believe that the member of Albert is casting aspirations in this house that the ministry of foreign affairs has responded to. We need to caution the member of Albert."
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"If you are going to go on and on, I mean on the plane landings - you never catch any kind of police. Now we are arresting them and getting rid of them. What did you do? You should be ashamed to bring that up. We are fighting them. We are getting the radar. We are doing everything to put an end to it."
Speaker of the House
"Honourable member from Albert, please wrap up. It seems to me like you are going back the whole year. Please just wrap up your presentation."
Hon. Tracey Taegar- Panton, UDP Alberts
"We are at the end of the year and these matters have still remained unresolved. The people of this country still have a right to know."
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Wrap up mein."
Hon. Tracey Taegar- Panton, UDP Alberts
"There is no time limit. I could stand here all day you know."
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I know you can. Well I don't think you could stand, you will get tired, but please man."
Hon. Tracey Taegar- Panton, UDP Alberts
"I will wrap up to save them the heartache."
Speaker of the House
"Lets allow her to wrap up."
Hon. Henry Charles Usher, PUP, Fort George
"I just want to remind the member from Albert on a point of order, is she speaking on standing order 13, or 14, because she seems to be going on and on. It's very clear the standing orders allow you to ask questions. member you have to submit those questions. If you have questions you can send in those questions in advance, but you can't stand there on adjournment and asking questions that have already been asked before."
Hon. Tracey Taegar- Panton, UDP Alberts
"40 million dollars you gave away just before the elections in 2015 and you dare come and talk to us about $700,000. You should be ashamed member from Albert. You use that money to win. You use that money to try and buy the election in 2015 and you tried it in 2020 and you almost gone. But next time around you will be retired. trust me on that."
The UDP release ends by saying, quote, "The UDP is deeply disappointed in the Prime Minister's behavior particularly towards a female parliamentarian… It is most unbecoming of the man who holds the highest elected office in the land, and most untimely as our nation and the world observes the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, one of the leading voices for the cause being the Prime Minister's wife, Special Envoy for the Development of Families and Children, Her Excellency Rosanna Briceño." End quote.
