The House of Representatives met today and less than ten minutes into the meeting, fireworks flew across the floor between the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
It happened during the first of three questions Barrow asked the government side: when will the crown counsel and magistrates get paid the salary adjustment which was allotted for in the December supplementary bill? The PM started by referring to the UDP as a man who lights his home on fire then blames the fire department. And that erupted into a shouting match across the floor. Here is a snippet.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Our government further in December last year, 2023, appropriated some 1.5 million dollars to give effect to this commitment made in 2012 when the revenue appropriation supplementary #2 of 2023 bill for the financial year 2023/2024 was passed by the National Assembly."
"You know the height of hypocrisy? You know when they say face of brass? This Leader of the Opposition comes and asks us when we are going to make a payment cause by his government in 2012."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Madam Speaker, on a point of order. The standing order clearly talk about irrelevance, we don't need a history lesson."
Speaker of the House:
"Please take your seat."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"The question is when will they be paid? It's a simple question."
Speaker of the House:
"Please take your seat."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"We cannot allow him to abuse this opportunity."
Speaker of the House:
"Please take your seat. Prime minister, please continue."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"It's important to give."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"But I'm answering the question."
Speaker of the House
"Leader of the Opposition, member for Mesopotamia, I'm cautioning you for the second time to be silent when the member is on his feet."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"This Leader of the Opposition has the face of brass to come and ask when will we pay them and he voted against us paying these people. You voted against it."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"Madam Speaker, that is an absolute lie."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Yes you did."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"On a point of order Madam Speaker."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"That's not a point of order."
Shyne Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
"That is a lie!"
Speaker of the House
"Member, sit."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"You voted against it, you voted against the supplementary."
"Moving on, Madam Speaker, he voted against it, he did not support the supplementary appropriation bill so that we could be able to vote these very same people that he claims he's so concerned about, where was he from 2012, asking his father, the then prime minister, when will you pay these people? Now all of a sudden he has a conscious and wants to come to the House to grandstand. That is the problem."
