Trinidad & Tobago: Opposition UNC party to file no-confidence motion against House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George

The main opposition United National Congress (UNC) party has announced plans to file a no-confidence motion against House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George following a heated sitting of the Parliament late Friday which culminated in a walkout by the Opposition.

During a media briefing on Saturday, Opposition Leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar said the party staged a walkout of the Parliament around 7:15 pm (EDT) after “unsavory” remarks were made to a Member of Parliament.
According to Persad-Bissessar the decision to bring the motion was made at a UNC strategic planning meeting.

Bissessar – a former prime minister – said the call to file a motion of no confidence in the Speaker of the House came from the party’s national executive.

“Today, I received from the national executive from the party calling upon us in the Parliament to file a motion of no confidence in the Speaker, based on not just last night’s incident but there have been several incidents throughout the course of the year in this session. And therefore, we have taken the decision today that we will file a motion of no confidence in the Speaker of the House of Representatives,” said Persad-Bissessar during a press briefing on Saturday.

In response , Annisette-George, in an interview with the local media, described the possible motion of no confidence against her as “part and parcel” of the job.
“That is their prerogative and if they do so the Standing Orders will dictate how it is done, and I think that is all part and parcel of the job as Speaker,” she said – (CMC).