‘Pre-mature’ appeal from suspended Parliamentarians denied; High Court decision needed

An appeal on behalf of the eight suspended opposition Members of Parliament, who are seeking to attend parliamentary sittings while they await a decision from the High Court on their substantive suspension, has been deemed pre-mature and was not heard by the Full Court.

In an appeal filed by Attorney-at-law Roydale Forde, SC, the parliamentarians sought an interim conservatory order that would allow them to attend sittings of the National Assembly and receive their salaries.

This was filed though the High Court is considering whether it has jurisdiction to hear the substantive matters, the suspension, and has already denied interim conservatory orders until jurisdiction is determined.

High Court Judge Justice Damone Younge is presiding over the matter.

Forde opted to appeal Justice Younge’s decision but application to the Full Court was denied by Justices Jo-Ann Barlow and Sandil Kissoon.

According to a release from the Attorney General’s Chambers, Justice Jo-Ann Barlow, while delivering the decision of the Full Court, said that the appeal was “premature” given that no decision was made by the High Court below that can properly be made the subject of an appeal.

As such, the suspension of the Parliamentarians and their salaries by the National Assembly stands until the determination of the matter by Justice Younge.

The suspended Parliamentarians are Annette Ferguson, Christopher Jones, Ganesh Mahipaul, Vinceroy Jordan, Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Sherod Duncan, Maureen Philadelphia and Natasha Singh-Lewis.

Based on recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee of Privileges, MPs Jones, Mahipaul, Duncan and Singh- Lewis be suspended for four consecutive sittings of the National Assembly after they engaged in disorderly and disrespectful behaviour.

It was also recommended that MPs Ferguson and Jordan be suspended for six consecutive sittings following their “severe and egregious” violations that night.

These MPs were involved in the removal of the mace from its rightful position, causing damages; as well as injured and assaulted a member of staff from the Parliament Office.