(REAL News) — St. Peter MP Asot Michael’s hopes of an early return to duty in the Parliament have been dashed by the High Court, which has rejected his challenge to his suspension from the Lower House.
The Court’s decision was handed down on Wednesday, August 23.
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Constitutionally, there are three arms of government – the Legislature (Parliament); the Judiciary (the courts); and the Executive (the Cabinet) – designed to ensure the separation of powers.
Accordingly, reports say the presiding judge ruled that the Court has no jurisdiction to intervene in the internal proceedings of the Legislature, which is a separate and co-equal branch of government.
Further, MP Michael had asked that the Court order his suspension from the House be lifted; but his application for an injunction in that regard was also rejected.
Michael was suspended during the May 18, 2023, sitting of the House of Representatives for disrespecting the Speaker. This took place after he was ordered to vacate the Chamber for disobeying the
Speaker’s directive to the House not to engage in cross talk.
The suspension is for three consecutive sittings.
The St. Peter MP subsequently challenged the Speaker’s decision to eject and then suspend him by filing a constitutional motion, claiming that the actions breached several of his constitutional rights.
In response, House Speaker Sir Gerald Watt – through his attorney, Dr. David Dorsett – filed a counter motion to have the matter thrown out. But the matter was heard in early July, with a decision expected
by July 25. However, the High Court judge’s caseload reportedly was packed and the decision was delayed.
In the interim, though, Michael had sought to participate in the last sitting of the House, which met on July 27. His attorney had written to the Speaker requesting that he be allowed to take part in the
proceedings until the Court handed down its decision.
However, Watt was having none of it, and rejected the MP’s request, saying that Michael should have known better than to make such an attempt.
While the Speaker has been accused of overstepping his authority by moving the motion, himself, to have Michael suspended, he continued to claim that the suspension had been effected not by him,
but by the House.
Consequently, Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle stood on a point of elucidation and asked Watt which member, exactly, had moved the Motion to have MP Michael suspended.
But Watt refused to entertain the question, saying the Speaker’s announcements do not require any such explanation, according to the Standing Orders.
With one sitting of the House already held since the suspension of the St. Peter MP, there remain two more that he cannot attend.
Meanwhile, some people are asking how this injustice to Michael will be addressed, since the rules related to his suspension clearly were not followed and the High Court has taken a hands-off approach.
Some are suggesting that the over 2,000 persons who voted for Michael should stand up for him and protest the decision, since he is in Parliament to do their work.
His constituents should do so, they add, given that the members for St. John’s City West and City South – Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Attorney-General Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin – also were engaged in the cross talk, but without any consequences.
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