Jamaica Speaker Of The House Calls Out The Opposition Leader Mark Golding

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:03][music] Hey guys, welcome back to Carb 21 Network wherever in the world you're watching us from. So today I want to talk about what took place in the house last week with the opposition and the protest with Angela Brown Burke with touching the mace. So Juliet Olness the speaker of the house she came out yesterday and she addressed what took place yesterday and she was pretty much saying that look she know what is going on. This is a personal attack on the speaker herself and she pretty much said look you are going to be tired to see my face but I am not going anywhere. So just get used to it and respect the speaker of the house and respect Jamaica because the display that took place last week was very was not a good show for Jamaica. So Juliet as I said she came out very strong and she pretty much schooled the opposition People's National Party and tell them look she's not going anywhere so just get used to it. So this is what Juliet Hoes had to say yesterday when before the the the sitting of the house and she addressed the members of the opposition bench.

[00:01:19]>> Before we proceed with the business of the house, I wish to address the events which occurred during last Tuesday's sitting. I do so not to prolong controversy, but because some moments require more than silence. They require reflection. They require correction and they require us as members of this honorable house to remind ourselves and indeed the country of the standards by which parliament must conduct itself.

[00:01:49]Last Tuesday during the committee stage of the national reconstruction and resilience authority bill, the honorable member of Saint Andrew Southwest removed the mace from its place in this chamber.

[00:02:03]The member was named under the standing orders ordered to withdraw and the house took a decision in relation to her suspension for the remainder of the sitting.

[00:02:13]Thereafter, the leader of opposition and other members of the opposition engage in a standing protest and chance in open defiance of the authority of the chair and the order of the house. the record will speak for itself. But >> one thing I would say, just pay close attention to the opposition bench. And I don't know about anyone else, but I have never seen this level of vitriol coming from an opposition party before. It is like this is like real hate. Like they don't just it's not like they just have a problem because she's the speaker of the house and she is the prime minister wife. It just seemed like genuine hate coming from that side. So just take a closer look on the body language. Angela Brown Burke and you just just look at the opposition bench overall. You will tell the people on the opposition bench who really have a real hate for the prime minister and his wife. And this to me this is beyond politics because we have seen um politics in Jamaica that got you know rough between the opposition and the governing party. But this level of hate I don't think I've ever seen it before and I'm not sure where it's coming from.

[00:03:34]>> I must speak to what the moment means because what occurred was not simply a breach of order by one member. It was a wider challenge to the authority of the chair and the orderly conduct of the house. The mace is not a decoration.

[00:03:52]It is not a prop. It is not an object to be used in protest.

[00:03:58]It is the symbol of the authority of this house. It represents the authority under which we meet, debate, disagree, vote, and make laws on behalf of the people of Jamaica. So when the maze is interfered with the issue is not simply about an object being moved. The issue is whether the authority of the house itself is to be respected. That is why this moment cannot be reduced to political theater. It is not about government or opposition. It is about whether this parliament, which belongs to the Jamaican people, will be allowed to conduct the people's business with order, dignity, and respect. Members, values, and attitudes matter. Only today, many of us participated in Readacross Jamaica Day. We went into schools, read to children, encouraged them to learn, to listen, to reason, to respect themselves and others, and to become responsible citizens. What then is the example we set for those same children when we look at the parliament of their country? If a student believes that a teacher has been unfair, do we encourage that student to disregard the teacher, disrupt the class, seize what does not belong to them, and refuse to follow instructions?

[00:05:28]And that is a valid point from the speaker of the house because what we have seen with Jamaica with these videos emerging of bullying happening in the school system and we know that bullying has been a part of our school system for a long time but we have seen some recent video that just take it to a different level. So it is very important what she said like you have to set example people the kids are looking at the government as an example they are looking at us as adults as to set that example and if we can see the blatant bullying in the house going after the speaker trust me we have seen it over and over again with Angela Brown Burke and Nikisha Burchell in the middle of the house and they are just like bullies like two bullies by calling the speaker of the house names, calling her out of her name and stuff like that. So that is very important that the speaker of the house said that.

[00:06:26]And even though I didn't think that she was going to address it, trust me, um she's not a pushover. Mrs. Holes is not a pushover and she's going to stand up and that is what she's doing now. But I thought that point was very valid. The the the teenagers, the kids in Jamaica, they're watching their politician. So they need to set a good example >> or do we teach the student that there are proper avenues to raise concerns, challenge a decision and seek red address. Of course members of this house are not regarded as students but the same principle applies here. A member may disagree with the chair. A member may disagree with a ruling or even believe that the process is unfair. But the answer cannot be disorder. defiance or contempt for the institution. The standing orders itself provides the avenues by which members may raise objections, seek clarification, challenge procedures, move amendments, divide the house, and place their disagreement on the record. Those rules exist not to silence members, but to protect every member, including those in the minority. Order is not the enemy of democracy. Order is what makes democracy possible. That is true in this house and it is true in ordinary life.

[00:07:57]In any meeting, whether it be board, citizens association, church committee, a school body or a community organization. There must be a chair.

[00:08:07]There must be an agenda. There must be rules. There must be order. If every person decides that they will only follow the rules when they agree with the chair, then no meeting can function, no business may be completed and no decision can be trusted. The same is true in this chamber but with far greater consequence. The rules of this house were not created for the convenience of anyone speaker, anyone government or anyone opposition. They are a part of a long parliamentary tradition shared across Commonwealth jurisdictions and reflected in the standing orders under which we all serve. Members may wish to modernize them. Members may wish to review them.

[00:08:59]That is their right. But until they are changed by proper process, they bind us all. Many parliaments across the Commonwealth, including republics, continue to use the maze or similar types of symbols to mark the authority of the legislature. The point is not whether Jamaica is a monarchy or a republic. The point is that every parliament must have a symbol, rules, and practices that mark the seriousness of the work being done. to ridicule those symbols to ridicule those symbols while benefiting from the authority they represent is neither principled or helpful. I am particularly mindful of the sentiment expressed by some that an indigenous object which reflects and give expression to our Jamaican identity is desirable. That process however requires constitutional reform and consensus.

[00:10:07]But let me hasten to point out the events of last week were not merely about symbolism. At the center of our focus should be whether we are prepared to conduct ourselves with discipline and regard for rules. We as a parliament cannot promote indisipline, misconduct and then require discipline of Jamaicans from all walks of life including our children. However, some have sought to turn the issue into one concerning the maze and other colonial past. Regarding that narrative, I will state briefly.

[00:10:44]Public records will reflect that during the life of the last parliament, the executive arm of the state had moved to adjust the constitutional requirements and arrangements but required consistence and consensus with the opposition. That wasn't achieved. Hence, the process has not advanced. I am of the view that the majority of members of both sides of the house conduct themselves appropriately and with discipline. The majority.

[00:11:22]Okay guys, so I pause it right there for a reason. So just take a look at these two men. Take a look at the leader of the opposition and take a look at um Philipwell. Philip Paulwell, I think, is probably the longest serving member in in the People's National Party right now. Look at these men face. This is like completely like total disrespect.

[00:11:46]They do they have no respect for the speaker of the house. And I believe that this is this goes beyond her just being the wife of the prime minister. I I don't know. For whatever reason, I believe that it it is because of their background.

[00:12:01]Yes. Because Jamaica, we have this history of classism. And because the prime minister and his wife, they they are not from the elite background in Jamaica. They are not from one of the traditional high school like Jamaica College. Um and one of those big school, Kingston College, Immaculate. They are from Spanish Town, one of those schools that years ago was considered non-traditional high school, not one of the big high schools in Jamaica. And most of our prime minister, most of our leaders come from these traditional high school if you're not from the elite class. So in my opinion, I just think that this has something to do with like oh that little get a boy and get a girl them rise up and and now they're at the top prime minister, first lady, speaker of the house. And you can see on these two men face that they have little or no respect for the prime minister and his wife. So I just wanted to point that out. So just look at the face of these two big men when the speaker of the house is talking. The blatant disrespect. So let let's continue.

[00:13:11]>> However, I note attempts by a few to subject the office of the speaker of the house to ridicule and to be generally undisiplined.

[00:13:20]I note attempts by few to subject the office of speaker in the past and more so in the present to constant in discipline in the spirit of proceeding with the business of the house. I have many times in the past ignored personal disrespect from a few members of the opposition including derogatories sort of references, slurs and disrespectful posturing. However, let me clearly indicate today that my resolve to ensure discipline prevails in the House of Representatives is unshaken and will never be deterred. I will not be discouraged by any public sentiment, any public commentary or personal attack from ensuring that a legacy of discipline prevails in the Parliament of Jamaica. With that being said, let me also say this clearly. The primary focus should not be on the occupant of the chair. Speakers will come and speakers will go. Governments will change.

[00:14:32]Oppositions will change. Members will come and members will go. But the authority of the house must remain. When the chair gives a direction, it's not a personal request. It is a direction issued under the authority of the house.

[00:14:50]If the authority is disregarded, the institution is weakened. It is repeatedly tested and no consequence follows. And when that is done, this order becomes normalized. This was not the first occasion on which the conduct.

[00:15:08]Yes. So I think the speaker is 100% cleared right there. She's not going anywhere. Anything that they have done so far to intimidate her in the past and what they're planning to come up with in the future, she is unshaken. She's not going anywhere. And I I I believe that this is the message that she's putting out there because the idea that the speaker of the house is dealing with the opposition any differently from any other speaker of the house in the past is just ludicrous because any Jamaican who watched the the the sitting of the house and even I pointed out one the the the last one with the opposition leader Mark Gooling when he was uh speaking speaking on the NRA bill and this time ran out and the speaker he asked for more time and she gave him 15 more minutes. After the 15 minutes, the opposition leader was so disrespectful and was just continuing continuing and kind of defiant of the the speaker of the house saying that time time is up and after that he just throw down the paper on the desk as if like why are you cutting my time? And that was after 15 extra minutes. And this is how the standing order operates in every single country in the Caribbean in the UK. You know, if you watch the the sitting of the house in Trinidad and Tobago, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, other places in the Caribbean, the speaker of the house, she's doing nothing different from any other Jamaican speaker of the house in the past or any speaker of the house in the Caribbean right now. And I would challenge anybody to go and pull up any images of the speaker of the house in the past in Jamaica or any other speaker of the house in the Caribbean and just show me where um Juliet ones is doing anything different from any of these other speaker of the house >> of this nature has tested the authority of the chair by the same member on or around March 5th, 2026. The member rose from her seat and boisterously declared that your war if you behave like a virgo may ever behave like a virgo. End quote.

[00:17:30]Restraint was exercised in the hope that the matter would not be repeated.

[00:17:37]No action was taken but restraint must never be mistaken for permission.

[00:17:43]Patience must never be mistaken for weakness and silence must never be mistaken for acceptance. The conduct displayed last Tuesday was absolutely unacceptable.

[00:17:56]Absolutely unacceptable by the member the leader of the opposition who led the standup and the opposition.

[00:18:09]It was unacceptable not because of who occupied the chair but because of what the chair represents. It is unacceptable because it undermines the very order of the house, the dignity of the parliamentary proceedings and the respect due to the institution through which the people's business is conducted.

[00:18:33]>> Yes. and and that what she said is very important because now the people's national party the member of the people's national party bench they can go after Juliet now and use the narrative that okay it is because of she's the prime minister's wife regardless of how you feel about that you know I personally did not think that she should have taken it back after they won the election because we saw this coming I saw this coming from a mile out when she was appointed speaker of the house and he even saw Philip Paulwell congratulating her and saying that he will be willing to work with her and stuff like that. And when in 2025 before the election we saw 14 member People's National Party they did not go after the same speaker of the house in the venomous way that they're going after her now. Since September 3rd, 2025, the attack on the speaker of the house has quadruple.

[00:19:34]Trust me, this is much different from what we saw um 2024 going into 2025. The attack on the speaker of the house have been relentless. And now the excuse is that she's the wife of the prime minister. But what is going to be the excuse in the future? And if the Jamaica Labor Party they become an um in opposition and the stage was already set they can do the same thing disrespecting the speaker of the house. So it is very important what she she um just stated out the house must be respected. The speaker must be respected um regardless of if you like the person or not. The seat the position of the speaker of the house is what you are respecting. You don't have to respect the person herself or himself, but you have to respect the position because once you start disrespecting that, then it is going to be chaos for the country. And Jamaica with everything that that we're dealing with with with crime and with with everything with breakdown in society, domestic violence, all of those things.

[00:20:41]The last thing Jamaica want is a house, a dysfunctional house where the business of Jamaica cannot get done. So let let's continue >> members. Robust opposition is not only permitted in the chamber. It is actually necessary. Debate must be vigorous.

[00:21:03]Scrutiny must be serious. The minority must yes BE HEARD. BUT DESCENT DOES NOT become stronger when it becomes disorderly. It becomes weaker because it abandons the very rules that protect the respect to dissent. No member is above those rules. No grieviance places a member above the authority of the house. No political disagreement justifies conduct that teaches the country and especially our children that bad behavior is acceptable once a person believes their cause is right. That is not the standard. I am asking members to respect the chair, respect the standing orders, observe them. Members who disagree with rulings or with process must use the proper parliamentary avenues available to them.

[00:22:10]To the people of Jamaica, I say you are entitled to expect better from this house. You are Okay. So, I'm I'm going to leave it right there. But yes, the the speaker of the house, she came out and she really um stood her ground talking to the the the opposition bench and warning them and telling them like look she know what is going on and that is not going to deter her from doing her job and they are not going to just bully her out of her job like that. And as I said, you know my stance already. I believe that she shouldn't have taken back the position because we saw where this was heading after the election. However, there are people out there that believe that if she just walk away, that is the opposition winning and they they will be smiling if they can push her out of this position. And other people believe that look, if they continue to bully her, that is not going to be a good look on the People's National Party. Not only the fact that she is the prime minister's wife, but the fact that she's a woman and that the people's national party, they have a woman problem. Like I've been saying this before the election, after the election, we have seen it from we see we saw with Lisa Anna, we saw with with with Sister P, Porsche Simpson how they treated Porsche Simpson Miller. We saw it with Crystal Tomlinson. We have seen over the over the years Jamaica the Jamaica the people's national party and women the treatment of a lot of women in that political party. So there are people that are saying that look this is not it might work for the darted um PMP but whoever support the Jamaica Labor Party they're going to continue to support the Jamaica Labor Party and those people that are independent are looking for a party to support they are going to look at this as bullying a woman bullying a black woman that came from nothing and rise to the top being the first lady the speaker of the house and the prime minister's life. So, there are people out there that think that continuing to bully the prime minister's wife, continuing to bully the speaker of the house could backfire. So, guys, I'm going to leave it right there. Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Do you think that the speaker of the house did the right thing in terms of coming out and making it clear that she's not going anywhere and that they are going to have to respect the house or do you think that being the wife of the prime minister, she should not be in this position in the first place? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section and don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more amazing content. Here at Carb 21, I'm on a mission to showcase the vibrant culture and breathtaking beauty of the Caribbean while showcasing our culture and what is trending. If you want to support me on this mission, please subscribe. And if you also want to support, you can hit the comment section and buy me a cup of coffee. Order to buy me a cup of coffee, you can follow these instruction. Just click more, you will see the link to buy me a cup of coffee.

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