St Lucia’s Bazooka Speaker strikes again

• • • “The speakership holds no special significance to me.” ~ Claudius Francis
    • Government of Saint Lucia Mea culpa “through my fault”
    • The LOO will be at liberty to carry out his duties in the House
    • Two strikes and you’re out …

By Caribbean News Global

CASTRIES, St Lucia – The Parliament of Saint Lucia continues to blunder at the evolution of the House of Assembly [the House] assuming the authority that equates to an infamous judge and jury – a model common with contra quarrels, well-meant off Jeremie Street and the Castries Market.

The House continues to be caught up in the political theatre of upmanship, strategic error and incompetence as witnessed on May 2, 2023, with the “suspension of the leader of the opposition (LOO) from the House of Parliament (House) and its precincts.”

Three months after the High Court of Saint Lucia ordered the speaker of the house, Claudius Francis to pay costs to the Leader of the Opposition (LOO), (“in the vicinity of XCD$75, 000″ ) the United Workers Party (UWP) said in a press release. “The court issued a consent order after house speaker Francis acknowledged several procedural missteps in his effort to take the United Workers Party (UWP) opposition leader before the House Privileges Committee.”

• Sale of government land causes more public disquiet in St Lucia

The May 2, 2023, suspension of the LOO from the house and its precincts, resulted in the May 8, 2023, affidavit (from the LOO) to the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court in the High Court of Justice seeking relief.

Government of St Lucia Mea culpa “through my fault”

Before the hearing of the matter Monday, May 15, 2023, the parties were said to have negotiated the terms of a formal promise or undertaking, which was given by the speaker to the Court.

The undertaking includes:

1. To invite Claimant to attend the next sitting of the House whenever that should occur;
2. Not to exclude or cause to be excluded the Claimant from entering the House or the precincts of the House;
3. To allow the Claimant to take his seat in the House, but not participate in proceedings, pending the vote on the motion to lift the suspension of the Claimant;
4. The motion to lift the suspension of the Claimant shall be the first matter to be dealt with by the House at the next sitting of the House, whenever that should occur; and
5. Upon the motion being carried the Claimant will be at liberty to carry on his duties in service of the House.

Mea culpa is a phrase originating from Latin that means “my fault” or “my mistake” and is an acknowledgement of having done wrong. The expression is used also as an admission of having made a mistake that should have been avoided, and may be accompanied by beating the breast as in its use in a religious context. 

It is ordered …

The LOO will be at liberty to carry out his duties in the House, in furtherance to:

“The application for the injunction is adjourned sine die; The cost of an incidental to the applicant shall be cost in the cause; That the substantive matter shall be set down for hearing late July 2023, and the parties have liberty to apply.” 

Two strikes and you’re out …

The speaker of the House of Assembly, seems attractive at the frontage, down a bumpy road, seemingly surrounded by an echo chamber, unable to discern facts and truth, let alone the leading role of the speaker and interpreting the standing orders.

Francis’s labour solutions were previously, sorely mistaken with the clarity of mind, to the rhetoric and reference of a Bazooka, at a time of the unprecedented rise in crime and violence on the island, that continues unabated.

Moreover, said the Bazooka speaker: “The speakership holds no special significance to me.” ~ Claudius Francis.

https://www.caribbeannewsglobal.com/vieux-fort-south-designated-escalated-crime-area-until-may-16-other-areas-of-st-lucia-predictable/

The government of Saint Lucia, the House of Assembly and the cabinet are ill-advised. The three have become a circus of happy politicians driving their political agendas, at the cost of taxpayers; instead of the furtherance of public policy, economic development, national security, healthcare and long-term reform to support substantive governance of the country.

The observation on many clinches to repeated scenarios that the administration political advisors, legal advisors, and strategists are playing supreme … and knocking injuriously themselves – in the process.