Dr. Angela Brown Burke accepts responsibility for mace incident but says context matters

Opposition Member of Parliament Dr. Angela Brown Burke says while she accepts responsibility for lifting the parliamentary mace during Tuesday’s sitting of the Lower House, the broader context must also be taken into account.

The incident occurred as the House debated the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NARRA) Bill.

The mace is the ceremonial symbol of the authority of the House and the Speaker.

Following the incident, House Speaker Juliet Holness suspended the St. Andrew South Western MP from the remainder of the sitting.

Dr. Brown Burke was formally named by the Speaker who ordered the Marshal to remove her from the House.

Despite the order Dr. Brown Burke remained in the chamber flanked by Opposition colleagues.

Speaking with reporters today, she maintained that the Opposition was raising significant issues that warranted attention but felt those contributions were being sidelined.

However, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Communication Chairman Senator Abka Fitz-Henley says acceptance alone is not enough.

He wants Dr. Brown Burke to apologise.