Roseau, Dominica– May 21, 2010……… Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Alix Boyd Knights has announced that the Marigot and Salisbury seats are now vacant.
Hon. Alix Boyd Knights explained that the seats had been vacated because Mr. Edison James and Mr. Hector John, formerly the Members for the Marigot and Salisbury constituencies did not comply with the rules of the House, specifically Standing Order 15.
Standing Order 15 (2) reads: “ If without leave or order of the Speaker previously obtained, any member is absent from three consecutive meetings of the House to which he has been separately summoned during the same session, such member shall vacate his seat.”
According to Hon. Alix Boyd Knights, Mr. Edison James and Mr. Hector John failed to attend three consecutive meetings of the House of Assembly, on February 4th, March 29th and April 29th 2010 respectively and crucially did not seek leave to be excused from the meetings.
Hon. Alix Boyd Knights also told the media that no communication was received from the three elected Opposition Parliamentarians prior to the first Meeting of Parliament since the December 18th General Elections on February 4th 2010.
The Speaker added that letters were received by the Clerk of the House from the three elected Opposition Members prior to the Meeting of the House of March 29th April. The letters were dated March 16th but were delivered to the House of Assembly on March 26th.
The Clerk of the House, directed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, responded by letter on March 26th to the then Members of the House of Assembly-Hon. Norris Prevost, Hon. Edison James and Hon. Hector John. The responses were the same and read in part:
“ In reply I am directed by the Honourable Speaker of the House of Assembly to inform you as follows.
- The relevant Standing Order dealing with the absence of members from the House is Standing Order 15.
- Standing Order 15(1) requires a member to acquaint the Clerk of the Member’s inability to attend Parliament when summoned to do so. Standing Order 15 (2) requires that a Member obtains leave of the Speaker in advance of the Meeting that the Member is unable to attend.
- Your letter merely advises that you will not be able to attend the Meeting of the House scheduled to be held on Monday 29th March 2010.
- Since no leave to be excused was requested by you in your said letter, you are hereby advised that no leave has been given to you to be absent from the said meeting.”
The Speaker also revealed that prior to the Meeting of the House of Assembly on April 29th 2010, the then three Opposition Members wrote to the Clerk of the House informing her of their inability to attend that Meeting. The letters according to the Speaker again did not seek leave to be excused.
“ We have a situation where members have not complied with the rules. They have missed three meetings without being excused. I do not have discretionary powers in the matter. I simply have to do what the Standing Orders tell me to do. I have had no choice but to inform the two gentlemen that their seats are now vacant and all parties concerned have been so informed…,” the Speaker told the media.
Meanwhile Hon. Norris Prevost, Opposition M.P for Roseau Central arrived in Parliament on April 29th 2010 and took the oath and walked out soon after.
