Speaker Sinanan suspends Panday from Parliament

Opposition Leader Basdeo Panday was Friday suspended from the sitting of the House of Representatives for using a laptop computer.

When Panday refused to leave the chamber, Speaker Barendra Sinanan asked the police to use “force” to have the Opposition Leader ejected.

And in a further startling development, Sinanan abruptly suspended the day’s sitting, with most items on the Order Paper still to be debated.

The drama unfolded in quick time and centred on Panday’s use of a portable computer.

All 23 Government Members of Parliament voted for suspending Panday, after Leader of Government Business Colm Imbert accepted Speaker Barendra Sinanan’s invitation to "name" the Opposition Leader, which he did under Section 43 (5) of the Standing Orders.

All 11 Opposition MPs voted against the measure, with some loudly denouncing the controversial measure and shouting "Shame"!

As Panday took up his documents to walk out of the parliamentary chamber at the Red House, Port of Spain, Speaker Sinanan suspended the sitting for 10 minutes. This was done, he said, to permit Panday to leave the precincts of the chamber.

At the end of the brief adjournment, Panday had still not left the chamber.

Sinanan, with a copy of the Standing Orders in hand, then called on the police service to have Panday removed. As this was being done, Sinanan brought the day’s sitting to a premature end.

The dramatic development flared during what was a routine sitting of the House, at which government ministers had answered a range of opposition questions.

As debate was set to begin on a motion on the Order Paper, Sinanan stood and read an excerpt of a letter he had sent to all MPs a few days ago on the use of modern laptop computers.

That letter had stated that MPs are to use their computers only as a source of information during a debate. Outside of that, permission has to be obtained from the Speaker.

Sinanan asked Panday whether he planned to contribute to a debate. Panday retorted: "I cannot say what I am going to do; this is a debate."

An adamant Sinanan responded: "If you cannot assure me, and you have not asked my permission, I ask you to put away your computer."

Panday, his voice rising, declared that he could not tell whether he would contribute to a debate. "How would I know until they speak?" he demanded.

Sinanan responded that the Opposition Leader had "shown disregard for the authority of the Chair." Using age-old parliamentary practice, he asked for a government member to "name" Panday.

Imbert quickly rose and did the chore. The opposition asked for a division, meaning that all MPs must state, when asked, how they voted on the matter. The vote was taken amid a stream out angry outbursts from Opposition members, with Couva South MP Kelvin Ramnath being particularly vocal.

Earlier this week, Panday told a daily newspaper that he did not plan to contribute to parliamentary debates, explaining that he wanted to give speaking opportunities to his new colleagues.

Panday is the second most experienced Trinidad and Tobago Member of Parliament, being first elected in 1976. Prime Minister Patrick Manning has been elected in every general election since 1971.

-Story by Ken Ali