LISTEN: Senator Chester Hughes Says Standing Orders Allow Pringle to Be Sworn In During Any Sitting

Opposition Senate Minority Leader Chester Hughes says parliamentary standing orders clearly allowed Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle to take the oath of allegiance during Tuesday’s sitting of Parliament, accusing the government of undermining democratic norms in its handling of the matter.

Speaking on Observer Radio after opposition MPs and senators walked out of the chamber before the Throne Speech, Hughes argued that while the Constitution requires members to take the oath before participating in proceedings, the standing orders specify when the oath should be administered.

“The Constitution speaks to what must happen to each member of the House, but the standing order says when it must happen,” Hughes said.

Hughes pointed to Standing Order 15 under Chapter 4, which he said outlines the order of business for each sitting of Parliament and includes “the oath of allegiance of a new member” as a standard item on the agenda.

“The standing orders of today’s sitting should have included, even if there was none to be administered, the oath of allegiance of a new member,” Hughes said.

He argued that the provision exists specifically to allow for situations such as by-elections, where a new member may need to be sworn in during an active parliamentary session.

“So the standing orders allow for the entry of a new member at any sitting. That’s why it’s an agenda, it’s part of the agenda,” Hughes said.

Pringle was asked to leave the joint sitting before the Governor General delivered the Throne Speech after it was determined he had not taken the oath following his re-election. Opposition members later exited the chamber in protest.

Hughes said opposition senators became suspicious before proceedings began after observing consultations involving Prime Minister Gaston Browne, Attorney General Sir Steadroy Benjamin and other officials inside the chamber.

“We recognized … something’s going on over there now,” Hughes said, adding that opposition members observed government officials consulting advisers and making phone calls before the Sergeant-at-Arms approached Pringle.

The opposition senator also complained that key parliamentary documents had not been circulated ahead of the sitting, describing that as “the first red flag.”

Hughes said he attempted to raise the matter during the sitting but was not allowed to speak in defense of the opposition leader.

“What would have been the damage had they followed through with the other people?” Hughes asked, saying he simply wanted the oath administered before proceedings continued.

He accused parliamentary officials of focusing exclusively on constitutional provisions while ignoring the standing orders governing parliamentary procedure.

“They keep referring to the Constitution and not the standing orders,” Hughes said.

Hughes also criticized Senate President Alincia Williams-Grant for allowing the Attorney General to address the issue while allegedly preventing him, as Senate minority leader, from speaking on behalf of Pringle.

“She allowed the Attorney General to get up and speak to the subject matter … but did not allow me, as minority leader … to come to the aid and defense of the leader of the opposition,” Hughes said.

He warned that “all democracies are under threat with this kind of behavior by the government.”

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