Speaker of the House of Assembly Alix Boyd-Knights has responded to the opposition’s statements regarding her actions in parliament.
The United Workers Party (UWP) parliamentarians, after walking out of parliament yesterday, joined supporters outside the House to stage a protest against what they said was Boyd-Knights’ unlawful blocking of five out of their eight questions posed to certain ministers in parliament.
UWP officials have also claimed that Boyd-Knights acted against the policies of the House and in favor of her personal agenda.
In response to their statements, Boyd-Knights sought to clarify the reasons for her actions.
“They want to know the prime minister and the minister when he traveled, the dates, countries traveled to, the duration of each trip, purpose of each trip, cost of trip. I wrote back to the member in quick time – the question cannot be accepted as it is so can you please rephrase the question. All it was missing was to say official you know, but I didn’t dear put it lest I be told I’m tampering with questions so I sent it to the member,” she stated.
“I explained to him on the phone why he should change it and I was waiting on the question, it never came so it couldn’t go on the order paper because it couldn’t be put like it was. All it needed for specificity was to have the official,” Boyd-Knights told parliament.
The speaker also referred specific questions from the opposition which was targeted at the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The question, according to her, required the minister to provide information with a detailed statement of all the monies paid by the government, its statutory corporations and other agencies to the Dominica mission, to include the method of payment, amount and other specifications.
“Is the member really asking that question? That somebody has to go back 32 years to answer that question and then they also said could the honorable house minister provide details of how the monies were spent from 32 years ago? Is 32 years we independent right? I wrote the member and I said, you know, your question is too broad, can you narrow it down,” she said.
Boyd-Knights, in an interview aired on this morning’s edition of the DBS news, accused the opposition of using her as a scapegoat.
“Well simply to say that I don’t think that the members are themselves of the opinion that I am blocking their questions because they like me have access to the rules as they relate to questions. I think its just a matter of creating a situation so that it could have the desired effect so that you can do what you wish to do because there was no need for what I saw happen,” she said.
“Members were carrying on, just ignoring the rules – the very rules that they’re seeking to have me observe they. As far as I see they are not observing. So you ask yourself: am I really the reason for the members acting the way they are? Or am I just being used as a scapegoat ,” she added.
Boyd Knights said that the UWP parliamentarians should stop blaming others for their problems. “I can tell you, it’s not a pleasant feeling to be used as a scapegoat. And I think that the members ought to come to terms with whatever is wrong and don’t be blaming people for whatever you wish to happen that’s not happening,” she said.
She further defended her actions by stating, “If for example, the standing orders tell you, do not ask a question if the answer can be found in any public document or any library or any such place, why are you asking a question about a company, who are the shareholders, who is the holder of the property and so on? Surely you can go to the registry and find out.”
why do u all think is the ruling party that chooses the speaker of the house? maybe what is needed, is to find a new way, if it’s possible, where the general public have a say in who becomes speaker of the house. i mean, problems will still be there, but maybe we might have less biased speakers. anywhere u go in the world, 99% of the speakers are biased.
a scapegoat can avoid being one ,but a tied mule can’t.
looks like we all want a lawless country. Crime is surging but we are all saying forget the rules. Think for one second. Had UWP members added the word official, we would have been reading the answer to the question.
Please am asking the UWP, please let us have an alternative. Change your strategy into what you can do for your country that we will be able to identify with you. You are moving backwards. Please am asking, give us something else to think about. Lets move in a new direction.
well if scape goat is female goat then i am a ram goat because it mean male goat…i wanna meet that scape goat.
The UWP and it’s followers are to DA what the TEA PARTY is to american politics, a bounch of noisy idiots.Tell them we are watching.
Really the VERY WORST Speaker since A -DAM and Eve -R!
A goat is a goat, scape or not.
This is too funny…thanks for the laugh
how dear you call the madam a goat whether scape or not…read my lips
IF what the speaker says is true, then the UWP Politicians are all a bunch of MORONS! It is just ridiculous that these men in power will resort to these stupid under handed topics.
It is plain to see that these Dominican lay men are just that. They have failed to educate themselves in many matters and politics is no different.
Rules are in place to maintain order and uniformity. They should be obeyed. If the documents are not official, then, damn right, they should be rejected. Try taking a document to court which is not done according to the rules…I have seen legal documents returned for being in the wrong font, wrong page colour, wrong title….so why can’t the freaking politicains just follow protocol.
If it needs to say “official” then satmp OFFICIAL on the bloody paper.
If the rules say that public information should not be requested, then, by all that is holy, do not bloody request information which is already public knowledge.
Why are ministers asking for documents dating back 32 years? That’s just a waste of time, expecting someone to stand and answer questions and be expected to have in tact knowledge of things which happened 32 yrs ago.
These bloody politicians need to be taught a lesson. The people of Dominica need to be able to give right its right and wrong wrong. Do not persecute the woman for follwoing the one set of rules when the UWP are following their own which is not in keeping with what they were sworn to do
i dont think u are giving ur two cents i just think you are so blinded by the red-eyes you have! there isn’t anything wrong with the question the Leader of the Opposition asked.
Actually…i have no affiliation with parties…i just hate b.s and believe that “IF” as i stated what she said is true…then it stands to reason that they would do what’s right….and follow the rules
Sorry, but your viriol is based on the assumption that what the speaker said is true!! I dislike politicians just as much as you do, but I have evn more contempt for abuse of power no matter where it comes from, and in my opinion this speaker has been doing just that based on her past and continued actions in the people’s house. The position that she holds is not for partisain politics and obviously she has turned in into jaut that.. I sad to see that there are no statemen/women left in Dominica. Partisan politics is killing Dominica.. No men of principle.. Dominican politics epitomizes DIRTY politics.
I am not a member of any party – i haven’t even voted in a Dominican election…but i am for the poor man…and these politicians are all for themselves. they are not thinking …and i did say “IF” … because to think otherwise would make me believe that the Politicians are just weak and cannot think outside the box, nor find solutions to dealing with a corrupt speaker of the House…so for me, i chose the lesser of 2 evils that they are just too stupid to follow simple rules….”go get the docs ur own damn self”
Question: Who is the Prime Minister of Dominica?
Answer: Roosevelt Skerrit.
Question: Is he still the Prime Minister of Dominica when he goes to his garden?
Answer: I dunno.
Question: What happen his title change when he goes to his garden?
Answer: I dunno.
Question: So if he visits his nenen in Venezuela he is not the Prime Minister?
Answer: I dunno.
Question: So when he say “damn” is Skerrit and not de Prime minister that say it?
Answer: i dunno about nothing!
Well stay out if you cannot answer or use your given brains and wisdom if you always dunno.
Respect to positions and persons in such position – whether in Oppo or in Gov’t. Dunno that is your duty. LOL
Again – if you are asked to rephrase and put in one word that would make your question valid then rephrase and put in the word. Nothing hard in that.
Rules are rules. Sop bashing the speaker ans just follow the rules.
Sunday;s Child I am with you on this, the Speaker is not trying to deny the UWP their right to play polictics or to ask questions in the Parliament. Mr Green is aware that to make any motion to have the Parliament stood down or adjourned he MUST give the Speaker three days notice, not impromptu notice. If the UWP Supporters would just read the rules of the House they would not waste time typing their coments. The UWP is doing this as a strategy to create a situation with a view to attracting public sympathy and we who refuse to aqauint ourselves with the rules falling for the ploy. THE SAME RULES EXISTED WHEN UWP was in power not one amendment has been made to the rules. Its time for UWP to get serious.Peace
True say. We are good at distorting the truth and causing confusion.
I have always said that the UWP is looking for an opportunity to cause chaos and confusion in the country. They are agitating in the hope that either the Speaker or the Prime Minister and by extension the government would over react and then they would have an issue to ‘bring boots” as they say on the streets of Roseau. of course they have quite a number of perhaps trigger happy law officers on their side. Consider their many references to May 29, 1979. One get the distinct impression that the UWP would wallow in another May 29. thetre will cwertainly be many May 29s. But it willlnever be like May 29th 1979. the people of Dominica are more intelligent to allow one man or group of many to lead them into such a mess. teh UWP for its part has already outlined (ad nauseum) the many ills associated with May 29 1979.
We are watching.
What is so difficult to request information on the PM’s OFFICIAL TRAVELS?. Why do they want info about the PM’s private travels? Of what importance is it to them? Isn;’t it a simple matter to request a report of Dominica’s mission for a specific period? Why such an open question. If you really want a particular period what is the problem reviewing the question simply for that period – 2000-2010? when mr. james wanted to fire Jeff Scotland from the DBGA he had a commission of inquiry for a specific period just to get what he needed to fire jeff. Why did n’t he ask for an inquiry spanning a period toinclude when he served? he had a specific intention and he targetted that period. can the UWP say without any fear of contradiction that during his time on stage there was no occasion the any questions form the opposition were not ‘doctored”?
Mr. james and Co must
they never said the wanted information about the MAN private travels! are you ignorant?
as far as i have heard the speaker seems very biased in her position. absolutely, the speaker gives irrelevant reason(s) for making changes to the questions from the opposition. how narrow she wants. this question according to her is very brief (narrow). this speaker puts too much of her political affiliation into her job. and she,s been there too long. by the way can someone tell me if speakers are ever changed. if not i recommend that there should be a short term limit. in those days of vic reviere, mike douglas etc alic knight would have submiited her resignation a long time ago.
some of these comments are soooooooooooooo petty and ridiculous… listen to yourselves you morons… how on earth would you require someone to go back 32 years into government business to answer such a question about monies spent? papa oye.. as if some of all u just making all you self foolish and dumb when all you see the majority doin and saying is just go with the flow and follow the band wagon… THINK FOR ALL YOU SELVES DAMN IT!!!… gosh i fear for some of you wi.. because in the future.. alas..
It is share pettiness on the part of the speaker. Let the questions be asked. There is no harm to be done.
I am neither pro or con with this political issue; just neutral. However, I have previously commented on this issue and what I refer to as lambasting the Speaker of the House as is done to the PM.
There are some people who have an agenda and will pursue it come what may whether it is to promote their political gain and status or to embarrass the present government. Some of us are oblivious to this.
This is politics. Those who wish to enter and remain in politics must have a thick skin. Being in politics is no easy matter.
You do not know me personally. I have known Alix Boyd-Knights since during the days, as young teenagers, when we were in the same form at the Convent High School. I have always found Alix to be an extremely nice, friendly, genuine person and a fair one.
My estimation of Alix is that she never projected one ounce of discrimination and preferential treatment to any specific person or group.
On two occasions when I visited Dominica I met her and went to her office to talk to her. She is always a pleasant person and has not changed. She does take her obligations seriously. Expect her to be fair and just. Her personally is such she cannot be any different.
Please, for God’s sake, give her the credit that is due to her.
Weigh out the situation. Read carefully and patiently and you will see her point and reasons.
Alix, in the near future if the Good Lord wills, I will be visiting Dominica and hope to see you. You will then know who I am.
God bless you with continued health, strength and courage to also fulfill your duties. Keep up your fair and just spirit. My prayers are with you.
Because knight is unhappy it seems she want everyone to be unhappy too
The opposition should ask intelligent questions. If they do not know what questions to ask, they should do some research on line as to what is appropriate and what is not. time for the nonsense to stop.
@ attorney
yes zeh zeh! That’s what he signed on for as PM!!!! If you do not want your entire life to be public – then you don’t go up.
And at the same time….if the information being requested is public…they should do the damn reserach and stop wasting tax payers dollars. How ridiculous is it to expect someone to provide you with answers to questions which you should know or make yourself privy to? Damn it…Dominicans need to wise up.
There is no sense asking for documents which you can find your damn self, esp if it’s in the rules
As was said by some intelligent folks: many people commenting here never even bothered to visit the house as a political facet of Dominica.
They just write whatever they feel not knowing that there are procedures and protocol to ensure that all are served in the house.
The questions being asked are of importance, but the importance is more for a KAVAL type of politics instead of a real interest in serving Dominicans.
There are motions being tabled, funds being requested and these go unchallenged because these idiots are protesting.
What a waste of time.
The speaker is shameless. Who wants to referee a match when one side is complaining with reasons that you are clearly bias. Only Alix Boyd Knight. Woman resign so they will find a new scapegoat.
That madam speaker really looks like a MOTHER HEN with all her chicks following her ready to peck anyone who attempts to attack her chicks. Your day must come!
The Speaker of the House is a perfect example of what is wrong with the political situation in Dominica. She is not interested in good governance, she supports corruption and she will be definitely remembered as the worst Speaker in the history of the nation.
I started going to the House of Assembly since i was a little boy, around 12, because I was interested then in politics and parliamentary procedures. I am now in my mid-40’s and I can safely say that I have seen many circus acts and comedy shows in that place….am talking about the days of Patrick John, Oliver Seraphin, Vic Riviere – let me refer to him as he addressed himself “Captain Victor Avandale Joseph Riviere”, Leo Austin the Guyanese, Eustace Francis….I could go on, but I leap backwards to those days to say this….IF, and this is a big IF for what follows is predicated on whether what she says is true, IF what she contends is the issue, that the question(s) was(were) not phrased in the manner in which she said, she is right – a member of parliament in submitting questions to another is only entitled to information insofar as it relates to “official government business” and any or all questions relating thereto must be phrased accordingly. If the question is not phrased appropriately, it is then too broad in scope for parliament as inferences can be drawn from both the question and any response provided. I am no fan of hers, but give credit where credit is due…..
Madame speaker allow due process whether or not you like the question or not. The opposition have a right to ask the questions and so just let it be. The speaker took an oath and promised to be impartial and she is obviously failing in her duties. The speaker is however absolutely right when she said that she is being used as a scrape goat. A goat used by those in government .
my god, people before u comment, please do ur research. Mrs Knight is correct. you have to ask questions properly. for those of u with children what lesson are you teaching these children. You need to have your children speak correctly.
Am so fed up with people just commenting for commenting sake.
A question was ask it is not the speaker’s duty to said the question is to broad it is up to the person the question was put to to respond the best he/she can to satisfy the other side in the first place especially when the questions have to do with GOVT spending or if it have to do with the development of the Island and not on a personal note the questions should be answered, asking for personal accountablility is wrong so why does she take such keen interest in deciding how the opposition member questions should be presented especially when the PM is on radio saying he never got them and he would respond why was she so heavy handed , her roll is like a referee not a participant in the political arena, she invited the negative response she is recieving this is not good governance this is out right interference in the day to day business of the GOVT and the behaviour in the House of all involved she is not impartial in any way and feeling as a scapegoat she should ask herself what is it she is doing and what she can do to bring harmony in the House of justice untill then nothing will be accomplished with her in that position but of cause no one will ask her to tone it down for the good name of Dominica.
I have listened to the House this week and I couldnt beleve what I was hearing I listened to Charles Savrian..Minister of Security/Immigration I was embrassed because I knew others in the region were listening that is a person the PM should not have speaking on behalf of Dominicans or Dominica and what made it worst was all about the opposition and the language been used to discribe these members after all they are all ppl it was unacceptable after that speech the member for St.Joseph came up and it was the very same attitude.
I am not a supporter of the UWP but lately I have been listening to them with an open mind and even I could see their are things that need to be explained ..I see a pattern unfolding in my DOMINICA where one cant ask questions of the GOVT if you do that means you are not on there side that is nonsense we elected these individuals to represent us and we would like to see them behave in a professional manner we need the opposition in the House and I hope they will return and I am asking the speaker to tone down on her attitude and do the job she was given to do and stop dictating they are all adults and not children…
Rules are rules…. one can ask the same question in different ways for different results. If the damn question is too broad…then that gives for an open answer…but if the question is narrowed, then the answer one is looking for can easily be obtained…. i’m sure there can be leading and or non leading questiosn – the politicains are just too DUMB to recognise that the same trick on a different day is still the same trick.
They have been complaining about their questiosn being rejected, yet they still choose to submit the same types of questions. You really cannit force an ass to drink for the river. They have been led to Parliament, yet they fail to partake in the sessions. Such morons…. and they wonder why they are not in POWER!
“They want to know the prime minister and the minister when he traveled, the dates, countries traveled to, the duration of each trip, purpose of each trip, cost of trip. I wrote back to the member in quick time – the question cannot be accepted as it is so can you please rephrase the question. All it was missing was to say official you know, but I didn’t dear put it lest I be told I’m tampering with questions so I sent it to the member,”
This statement demonstrates her resentment of the question ask. She is basically implying that “THEY” should not be asking such questions. The issue with the Word “official” is just a immature excuse. What we are seeing here is just child’s play. .
Simply put: Just allow the questions to be answered after all they are all accountable to the pubilc in every way. To every question there is an answer. I am sure that the ministers can answer the questions so please allow them to answer the questions.
Its amazing that the battle between the speaker and the opposition is going on forever – jus imagine how much wrk that could have been done to build up Dominica. Both the speaker and those are involved are to look deep within and remember what they do, how they do, when they do what they do. Dominica deserve better than that… and i know other nations are laughing at all of you- not only the opposition but all of you.. Look deep within……
Time for the speaker to ask what am i doing for Dominica
Time for the Opposition to ask what are we doing for Dominica
Time for the Government to ask what are doing for Dominica
Time for Dominicans to ask , what can we all do for Dominica – Dominica we lovely dearly
Promote Love everyone – Real Love not hate
Show a lil Love for Country
So if Mr Skerrit take a trip to St marteen to see his biological mother which he is paying for privately or he and his girlfriend spend a weekened in Puerto Rico at their own expense should the public have a right to that information?
r
yes because he works for the people and has access to the peoples finances. I all real countries the leader must account for all that he does and with whom he goes and where he goes should Dominica be any different. Just look at the news Obama has to account for all his vacation et all.
Dominica is a “real country” and if you wish to refer to yourself as “smart dominican” you should try to some at least a modicum of intelligence.
There is definitely a difference between personal travel and official travel and the PM deserves to have a degree of privacy when it comes to his personal affairs. You are also wrong regarding Mr. Obama’s personal travel, while it may be covered by the media and reported on he is not required to “account for his vacation”. You are simply confused and truth be told… not really that smart.
Alix V Knights, this lady should never have been in a distinguished position such as this one in the first place.. Just listen to her speak? This woman is so unpolished, not to mention unprofessional, and plain vulgar, but Skeritt needs people like her to do his dirty work. Who esle could represent him so well in the house.. What disgrace?
Official – Means official state business not his personal life travels. This is the role of the opposition to ask questions about official business. What is so hard to understand about that?
People seem to endorse the pity behave of the opposition group thinking it is honorable. These men have made a mockery of the parliament over the last 12 months. Supplementary estimates are being debated but they are absent unable to give their perspective on why these additional cost should be approved or not.
We continue to cast a blind eye on these matters but they are just as important as trying to get the speaker of the house out of office. It ironic how these same men help elects the speaker of the house and soon as the cry babies did not get their pacifier, the screams escalated.
The speaker of the house has stayed within protocol since her appointment, her recent court victories over the opposition is evident of that. If only our religious conviction was as strong as our political persuasion we would have a bitter county.
This lady is unable to tell the truth… So sad.
some people will never get it like the lady said y waste people time with what they doing u all can go
see who own what then take the owner to court to track where the monnies come from its not that
hard but they have to play the stupid ones so thats what they do grow up i saw alot off da people
wishing there neighbors bad so i guess the kids grow up now doing just what they saw around them
i hate no one all i got is an open mind, from afar all i see is uwp has no agenda.
Why should Dominican’s fail to get answers from their elected men and women simply because the word “Official” is missing? This is crap politics and the Speaker should be ashamed of herself. This is not a composition test; these are simply questions the nation (not the opposition) wants to get answers to. You should never prevent us from getting our questions answered madam. The opposition asks questions on our behalf so we could make decision based on knowledge. before you cleared the air I was thinking they (the opposition) did something real silly but now you have shown us why you ought to be fired as laeder of our house.
you sound ridiculous
Its not about a word…U have to understand that just as we have our own life to live so does the Prime minister n the other ministers have their own personal life to live to.U cannot ask the question on a broad scale u have to be specific n say…We need to know about all the travelling that was done by you n your ministers for the last how many years on OFFicial givernmaent business…The world dont need to know if a minister went to Antigua to take a dump if he went to his sisters wedding….we need to know if he went there on official government business what went on..
agreed 100%. What happen is school children that there. It was missing official so i failing you. My advice stop acting silly and petty and do your job while trying your best to be impartial. Everyone has a right to support any party but lets not let that cloud our judgement too much.
According to the article above, the opposition wanted to know “the prime minister and the minister when he traveled, the dates, countries traveled to, the duration of each trip, purpose of each trip, cost of trip.”
Take note the quesiton said PRIME MINISTER and MINISTER; which by law is the official capacity of the respective individuals. What else is needed to make it any more official than that? Mr. Skerrit and his ministers can travel in one of two capacities. One as Roosevelt Skerrit (for personal reasons) and the other as a diplomat of the country in his role as prime minister. Any time he travels as the prime minister it becomes the peoples business. Should he choose to travel on his personal mission under the guise of prime minister, then he is wrong.
Also, can’t the minister decide for himself if 32 years is too much for him? Documents are there…granted they will take some time to compile, but it can be done. Let him decide if he can only do 10 or 15 years.
I think Ms. Boyd-Knight needs to stop with her biasness and do the job that she was place there to do. I believe that she has violated the office of speaker of the house and as a result should be fired.
We should stop making excuses. If I am told that the only thing I need to do is put in the word “official”, then I would just comply with the rules and put in the word “official” and resubmit my question. I see nothing hard in that.
The opposition is not too high and mighty that they cannot put in a word. Stop making excuses.
Ms Knight is the MOST BIAS singing for your supper excuse of a speaker bringing shame and dishonour to our country…lady have a heart, you have children and grandchildren is this the legacy you are leaving for them …or you only care about yourself..I feel sorry for you.
this is just sad now i know why these people are protesting. i know that feeling, a feeling of helplessness.
I think if that is the case as the speaker stated above,Then the UWP must get someone to help them from a legal stand point.
There is also use of the High court to help them with rulings. Yes we must protest when things go wrong. But we have to be sure to use all Avenues to get to the end game.
Politics is not all surface,strong opposition must be able to corner the governing side with facts and most of all timing.
The opposition is just reacting,it should be proactive. Most time that is what good governing MP do thru the opposition out of track.
But then again the men on the UWP side are out of touch,they have yet to combat the main projects the DLP government is putting on the ground.
If they are going to let Lennox Linton direct the show as to how to attack the government,then they are going to be in opposition for the next tens or so.
Guys forgive me as this is just my view,I may be wrong but this is how i see it.
You see it right…The uwp is a plague
miss knight , you are truly pathetic , you are trying to generate sympathy for yourself , you should as a matter of daily practice listen to what sir bryan said with regard to the speakers role in parliarment , you are not the master of the house you are the servant , something that you cannot get your head around , you have violate the principals of impartiality with your letter to frank baron last december, with your unambiguous support of the ruling party . you have betrayed the office of speaker in the most vile manner
Why U call Bryan Alleyne Sir Bryan and some of all u find it so hard to call the Prime minister …Prime minister or Honarable….give Jack his Jacket eh
Hmmm3, Jack has his jacket.
Sir Brian Alleyne earned his knighthood, he did not buy it or broo broo others to get it.
one word missing…come on- get your fat self together alix- stop protecting skerrit
Can one word as you put it make you lose a case in the court of law? Think about it
foollow the rules of the house or throw them out. simply!!!!!
well said!