Browne Blasts Opposition Walkout as ‘Poor Leadership’ After Pringle Removed From Parliament Sitting
Prime Minister Gaston Browne has sharply criticised Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle and opposition senators for staging a walkout from Tuesday’s joint sitting of Parliament after Pringle was barred from participating because he had not taken the required oath of allegiance.
Speaking to reporters following the Speech from the Throne, Browne accused the opposition of knowingly disregarding clear constitutional rules and then attempting to create political controversy after being prevented from taking part in the proceedings.
“The Constitution is the ultimate authority,” Browne said. “And if it is unconstitutional, it is not permissible. We cannot supersede what the Constitution says.”
The confrontation unfolded shortly after the ceremonial sitting began when Senate President Alincia Williams-Grant ruled that Pringle could not remain in the chamber because he had not taken the oath of allegiance required for members participating in the joint sitting.
Pringle subsequently left the chamber, followed by the four opposition senators in a coordinated walkout.
Browne said the opposition had no legitimate basis for protesting because the constitutional requirement was well known and had already been acknowledged by opposition members themselves.
“They have accepted that the constitutional provisions are such that each member who participates in these formal proceedings must have taken the oath,” Browne said.
According to Browne, Pringle had missed the opportunity to take the oath before the sitting and therefore could not lawfully participate in the proceedings. He noted that Barbuda MP Trevor Walker was also absent because he understood he would have been unable to participate without first taking the oath.
“Now they have to wait until the next sitting when the oath of allegiance will be formally on the agenda to take the oath and then they can participate,” Browne said.
The Prime Minister also dismissed suggestions that the opposition had been unfairly treated, insisting that parliamentary officials attempted to deal with the matter discreetly before the sitting began in order to avoid embarrassing the Opposition Leader publicly.
“They spoke to him privately before the Parliament because they didn’t want to embarrass him publicly. He refused to cooperate,” Browne said.
Browne described the opposition’s response as reckless and politically immature, saying the senators should have accepted responsibility for the procedural failure instead of abandoning the sitting.
“So, you know, this lack of cooperation is just ridiculous,” Browne said.
He added that the opposition needed to “learn to pick their fights,” suggesting the walkout only further exposed weak leadership within the parliamentary opposition.
The Prime Minister went further, directly attacking Pringle’s handling of the situation and describing his actions as “poor leadership.”
“And that is just poor leadership,” Browne said.