‘We will not be bullied’: Golding clarifies events leading to parliamentary uproar

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Opposition Leader Mark Golding has provided an account of the events that led to Tuesday’s parliamentary uproar, explaining that the Opposition’s protest was triggered by what he described as the Government’s abuse of parliamentary procedures to shut down debate on a censure motion concerning Jamaica’s position on Cuba.

Golding said the confrontation followed the Government’s decision to bring the debate to an early close without allowing the Opposition an opportunity to contribute to the motion it had tabled.

Full coverageJamaica Breaks With Decades of Support by Abstaining on Cuba Embargo Vote12 reports

Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Anthony Hylton opened the debate before Leader of Government Business Floyd Green responded. However, Golding said Speaker Juliet Holness subsequently allowed the Government to move to end the debate without giving him or other Opposition members an opportunity to speak.