House Speaker Juliet Holness calls on MPs to respect the authority of the house following mace incident

House Speaker Juliet Holness has called on all members of parliament to respect the authority of the house, the chair and the standing orders.

She pointed out that disagreements should not become a descent into disorder and indiscipline.

The Speaker’s comments follow an incident during the debate on the contentious NaRRA Bill last Tuesday when member of parliament for St. Andrew South West Dr. Angela Brown Burke touched the mace.

The mace is the ceremonial symbol of the authority of the house and the speaker.

Dr. Brown Burke was suspended from the remainder of last Tuesday’s parliamentary sitting.

The incident prompted widespread public discussion.

Dr. Brown Burke accepted responsibility for lifting the mace, but said the broader context must also be taken into account, noting that the opposition was raising significant issues that warranted attention, but felt those contributions were being side-lined.

Mrs Holness stressed that the mace in itself is not the issue, rather, its about challenging the authority of the house, not following the rules and not using appropriate channels to lodge objections.

She said the behaviour of Dr.Brown Burke and other opposition members last week is unacceptable.

She said Jamaicans are entitled to having members who can disagree without degrading the institution.