Sen. Fred Mitchell
Chairman of The Progressive Liberal Party
For Immediate Release
27th April 2020
The Leader of the Opposition Philip Davis has the full support of the party for the excellent job he did with his Parliamentary team in the House today in speaking truth to power on the Covid 19 crisis.
It is most unfortunate that the Speaker Halson Moultrie proved to be blind to the facts of history that made it possible for him to be Speaker today. Can you imagine a man so blind and tone deaf to history that he would throw the Leader of the Opposition out of the House on the 55th anniversary of Black Tuesday? That was the day 27 April 1965, the then Leader of the Opposition Lynden Pindling threw the Mace out of the House to the people outside in the public square.
The Speaker refused on this 55th anniversary of that day to give the Opposition Leader his five minutes to explain that the PLP was abstaining in its vote on the resolution. We could not agree to a 30 day order without the supervision of Parliament. The Speaker did not call for the abstentions but only the yeas and nays.
Normally you pull your chair back from the table to abstain. But the Speaker only gave two alternatives: those of yes or no, stand or sit.
The actions of the Speaker were foolish and anti democratic. We condemn him.
He is unfit for the position.
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