Speaker delays ruling as Leacock-Gonsalves ‘movie’ replays in Parliament

It is yet to be determined whether Speaker of the House, Ronnia Durham-Balcombe, will reveal her ruling on the point of order raised by Leader of the Opposition, Ralph Gonsalves, on Thursday.

Gonsalves raised a point of order following a comment by Deputy Prime Minister St. Clair Leacock during the debate of the 2026 Budget in Parliament.

The Central Kingstown MP made a comment as Gonsalves entered the chamber and Gonsalves raised a point of order in response.

Gonsalves explained to the speaker that upon entering, he heard the deputy prime minister make the comment in reference to him.

“I am sure in your reading that that is not Parliamentary language to refer to someone. I am sure you would see that, and I think he would wish to do ‘mea culpa’ and say that I am sorry about that and move on,” the leader of the opposition said.

The speaker responded that while there was some merit to the point being raised, the comment was an epithet.

Se then turned to the deputy prime minister for his response.

Leacock completed the comment without apologising or retracting the comment.

“I am assured that that does not satisfy you, both in respect of your authority and your impartiality,” Gonsalves responded.

“I think you know he should be man enough and simply say, ‘Look, I was a little out of order there and though Ralph is my friend, I should not really do that, not in these circumstances’,” Gonsalves said.

The opposition leader again asked for an apology and a withdrawal of the statement.

“Madam Speaker, you are a lawyer and the honourable leader of the opposition is a lawyer and you are both guided by precedence,” Leacock said.

“The last time this movie played, my response was ‘the imps’ appear. So, I had not completed my statement … I didn’t even see him in the movie,” Leacock replied.

He added that he had moved on but did not offer an apology or attempt to withdraw the comment, prompting Gonsalves to threaten to leave.

“The Parliament has become a joke. I am gone. I am gone, Madam Speaker. The Parliament is a joke. This Parliament has become a complete joke,” he said.

It was not the first time that the speaker seemed to have snubbed the opposition leader during the day’s presentations.

Earlier, Gonsalves rose on another point of order, that time against Laverne Gibson-Velox, minister of the family et al., saying that she was guilty of reading her speech.

He drew to the attention of the House to Standing Orders, 33(9), which states that a member shall not read their speech but may read extracts from books or papers in support of their argument.

Gonsalves added that the prime minister is allowed to read from his budget presentation but ministers ought to debate the fiscal package without reading.

“That’s what the rules say … The 32 years I have been here, that has been the practice, ministers do not read their speeches,” Gonsalves contended.

Durham-Balmcome, however, overruled the point of order and indicated that she had given the minister permission to read her presentation.

Following the second incident, Durham-Balcombe chided Gonsalves, saying that his comments were “above and beyond”.

“I have not had time to rule. We know the Parliament enjoys a little picong (banter), I can see that you have taken grave offence to what was said and hence insulted. And, I have not had the opportunity to address the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister on the issue,” the speaker said.

“You storming off again is — it is the second time for the day that you have attempted to do this in Parliament and it is lacking decorum,” she said.

However, Gonsalves defended his actions, saying he had raised a point of order and that the deputy prime minister had compounded the statement that triggered the objection.

Similarly, he explained that regarding the first instance, he had a particular view and he did not want to see a Parliament become a place where speeches were read, and that he intended to write to the speaker on it.

“You are taking these second jabs a bit too far,” the speaker responded.

“I made my ruling this morning and if you wish, you can write to me on it and I can write you back. It is not for us to revisit,” she said.

Gonsalves said that it was the speaker who had, in fact, brought the matter back into focus.

But the speaker told Gonsalves that he was in breach of section 40 of the Standing Orders of the House, which deals with the behaviour of members of Parliament.

“I am not doing it at all, Madam Speaker. On the first occasion, rather than sitting through the reading of a speech, I left; I didn’t challenge your order,” Gonsalves said.

He added that he thought the deputy PM was treating the matter as a joke, whereas he considered it serious.

“And I formed the impression that he was given latitude which, in the circumstances, you ought to have put on a tighter rein,” Gonsalves said.

“This is a free and democratic country, I don’t want to challenge your ruling, I can leave if I want to leave,” the opposition leader said to the speaker.

“But be careful in that conduct, you will not be back here,” the speaker responded.  

She refused to continue the exchange, saying that she was going to make her ruling.

Gonsalves responded that only people of North Central Windward, the constituency he represents in Parliament, could stop him from entering Parliament.

The speaker then asked the deputy prime minister to continue, saying that she was attempting to rule on a point of order but had the authority to delay that ruling, which was her intention.

The debate resumes at 9 a.m. today (Friday). Prime Minister Godwin Friday is expected to wrap up the debate on the EC$1.9 million fiscal package later in the day.