Opposition Member of Parliament Gaston Browne will have to wait until the new session of the legislature begins later this year before he can return to the House of Representatives.
Browne, who was suspended on June 15 after he encouraged the gallery to chant “Baldwin Spencer Must Go” just before the end of the morning session, while the Speaker was on her way out of the chamber, tried to have his suspension lifted at Thursday’s session, when he attempted to apologise via a letter.
But most government MPs scoffed at Browne’s apology, which was presented to the House while Opposition Leader Lester Bird was on his feet making a case on behalf of his deputy.
When Bird moved the motion to lift the suspension, and it was put to a vote, the government voted nine to six against it.
Bird and his five other colleagues argued strenuously, but ultimately unsuccessfully, that the length of the suspension – which will last until the Throne Speech is presented in late November – was unjustified and Browne’s act of contrition was an indication that he had learned a lesson.
However, the government MPs and Speaker D Giselle Isaac-Arrindell rejected Browne’s apology and said he had not indicated any remorse.
“The letter is saying he did nothing wrong,” said Isaac-Arrindell on one of the several occasions she had to intervene to bring the House to order as the often divisive debate threatened to boil over.
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