G2K against Golding’s call for Speaker selection reform, says Opposition should show more respect in Parliament

Generation 2000 (G2K), the young professional affiliate of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), has criticised Leader of the Opposition Mark Golding’s call for Jamaica to adopt the Barbados model for selecting a Speaker of the House, describing the proposal as factually flawed and structurally inaccurate.

Golding, speaking at People’s National Party (PNP) press conference on Tuesday, called for constitutional reform to allow for the selection of an independent person from outside Parliament to preside over parliamentary proceedings, warning against what he described as the gradual erosion of Jamaica’s democracy.

Golding pointed to recent constitutional amendments in Barbados, which changed the practice of selecting a Speaker from among members of Parliament.