Opposition protests late start, leaves Parlt chamber

OPPOSITION MPs left the Parliament chamber on Friday after waiting for an hour for the session to start.
Opposition Leader Belden Namah said the sessions were starting late each morning.
“Parliament must meet each sitting day at 10am,” he said.
“That is the practice of this Parliament,” he said.
“Unless an extraordinary situation provides for a late start, Parliament must start on time. It is the Speaker’s duty to ensure that.
“It is the Government’s duty to ensure there is quorum in Parliament because it has the numbers.
“On most days without our Opposition numbers, there would have been no quorum.”
Namah stressed that the current session was important as it would culminate in the tabling of the 2022 budget.
It is also one of the last meetings of Parliament for 2021.
He said meetings must be conducted in the best tradition and practices of the institution.
On many occasions, Opposition MPs had to make up the numbers for a quorum requirements while government MPs, including ministers, just walk in as and when they please.
“Question times have always been disrupted by countless points of orders from Government including ministers and the Prime Minister himself so that the people never get to hear a clear response on any subject,” he said.