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Some members of the public have questioned why Member of Parliament for West Kingstown, Daniel Cummings, did not take to Parliament earlier on — or before — Thursday the special chair he has acquired for a back condition.

After a heated exchange between the Speaker, Hendrick Alexander, and Cummings, the Speaker asked Cummings to withdraw from Parliament after an outburst, as the Opposition MP demanded that the chair be brought in.

We asked Cummings via email on Monday why the chair was not brought in earlier. He sent us the following response.

Opposition parliamentarian, Daniel Cummings. (Internet photo)
Opposition parliamentarian, Daniel Cummings. (Internet photo)

The issue of the chair in Parliament and the speaker’s action have spurred all sorts of comments from various sources.

 
I had to leave for Trinidad on Saturday on two personal counts and just catching up on the news. […]
 
I arrived at the parliament just after 10 am. Normally it starts not before 10:20 to 1030.As [fate] would have it, this time it started almost at 10 am. I had to wait outside the door for prayers so I could not enter with the chair.
 
I had made arrangements with the Clerk of the House for the chair to be kept in her office so I asked my people to leave it in her office, which was just outside the house. I actually brought the chair to the compound in my vehicle.
 
I waited as long as I could in the very uncomfortable chair in the hall, even removing the foam seat to aid my posture. Eventually I could no longer bear the discomfort. I awaited an opportune moment and sought the Speaker’s indulgence, rather than just leaving. Note, I did not rise on a point of order, the PM was on his feet but had not started his presentation. It is well known that the Hon. PM does not make short speeches. It is also noted that Parliament normally breaks around 2pm for lunch. It therefore was too much of a challenge for me to wait all that time. That is why I sought the Speaker’s help for just two minutes max.
 
In the discourse, that followed I tried to point him to his inability to know my circumstances and the urgent need for the chair. This has been a recurring matter. Note that the action of the speaker caused a loss of more than twenty minutes and I still did not get the chair inside.
 
Everyone knows that I publicly ridicule the speaker for his glaring bias. This is not personal, I relate to Mr. Alexander in the most respectful way in public. Indeed he is a soft and likable person in public with whom I have interacted well over the years. What happens in Parliament has now obviously been taken to a very personal level by him.
 
You may want to know that I am now having to give active consideration to bringing forward an operation requested by my doctors to replace two discs in my lumbar vertebrae. There is growing discomfort is sitting especially on that monster of a chair in Parliament. That is the worst possible design for my situation and it aggravates my injury with haste.
 
I am even now in dialogue with my medical team and would have to be guided by their recommendations.
I am truly grateful to the people of West Kingstown, many of whom have gotten together to purchase the chair for me and to the supplier who gave 10% discount on the chair.
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6 replies on “MP explains outburst in Parliament on Thursday”

  1. This man has been the recipient of hate, spite, malice nasty names for several years now, his disgraceful treatment has been transferred to parliament.

    When he was manhandled and thrown down the stairs in parliament that was unreasonable and an unnecessary use of force.

    Because the ancient rules say you can remove someone by force, today that is pretty old fashioned and unacceptable. They could of just simply suspended parliament for an hour or two. There was absolutely no reason or excuse for beating up on all those members of the opposition, except for the purposes of hate, spite and malice.

    It really is time for the people to throw out this mob, because a mob is exactly what they are. I consider there is nothing honourable about any one of them, you will notice I have never called any member of government honourable, and never used the term honourable when describing parliament. I think that the whole system has become the reverse, dishonourable, and it wreaks of hate, spite and malice.

    I look forward to the Honourable Daniel Cummings suing the government or whoever over the injuries inflicted on him, because they were inflicted on him, they were not an accident, they were inflicted. How long, if ever, will he be able to get such charges before a court in SVG is another matter, then the danger of the case being taken over and discontinued by the DPP is the other section of the minefield he will have to transit.

    POLITICAL HATE, SPITE, MALLICE AND PLAIN NASTYNESS HAS TO STOP ITS ENCOURAGING OTHER SECTIONS IN THE SOCIETY TO ACT IN COPYCAT FASHIONS. THE POLICE ARE OUT OF CONTROL, THE YOUTH AND VIOLANCE IS OUT OF CONTROL. IT ALL COMES DOWN FROM POLITICIANS BEHAVING SPITEFULLY, MALICIOUSLY AND HATEFULLY. THE MURDER RATE IS SOURING THIS YEAR. WE ARE RAPIDLY CATCHING UP WITH THE OTHER ALBA STATES CRIME RECORDS.

    Just as a reminder where did the million US dollars in cash come from that was presented by a senator at the NCB bank? where did it come from? where?

  2. Nobody wants to hear your explanation, you self centered little man. What you need to do is apologize to the Parliament and People of SVG and then go seek psychiatric help.

  3. I witness news is bias, they never publish the fact that Mr Cummings has spitefully disrupt the Parliment with this chair issue. This chair could have brought in the Parliment without Mr Cummings making a scene.

    I witness news try to nice up the story with what I considered tash from Mr Cumming and his lame excuses for not bringing in the chair before. If it was someone from the goverment side, I witness news would have published the plain fact – the parliment was disrupted unnecessarily.

  4. Just a response to Peter, Mr Cumming and the opposition are aspiring to lead this country, tell they to humble them self and respect the house of Parliment and the Speaker who is in authority over them. We the young people are looking at them, what kind of message are they sending?

    Is it OK to be disrespectful? If they are voted intp office next elections what are the reactings are thet expecting from the the new oppostion? It if very difficult to lead if you yourself do not know how to follow.

    Tell them it is what they hand out they will receive.

  5. On lengthy flights to NY or other places does the senator approach airlines in this manner to require a special chair?

Comments closed.