Boyd-Knights welcomes UWP’s return to parliament

Boyd-Knights

Speaker of the Dominica parliament Alix Boyd-Knights has welcomed the decision by the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) to end their boycott and return to the House of Assembly.

“Of course it’s good,” she said of the decision, adding that “it’s good for the people.  Finally they will see another side of whatever issues are before the table”.

Denying their claims of biasness against them, the Speaker indicated that they would be dealt with fairly.

“Always as usual.  I’m dealing with the rules of the House, and the rules of the House say what to do, and I follow it absolutely,” she told Dominica News Online.

Boyd-Knights has suggested that UWP parliamentarians take parts of the rules that suit them to make their case but ignore parts that don’t support their arguments.

“I am doing my work to the best of my ability, the courts have agreed with me” she said in reference to legal challenges against her handling of opposition-related matters.

“It’s a pity that they keep saying that I am biased, but the point is people who really are interested in the truth need to come to the House and see for themselves what goes on,” the Speaker advised.

Asked whether there were occasions when she may have been a little unfair to the opposition, Boyd-Knights responded “No, but I can think of so many when they have been unfair to me, so very many”.

The parliament is scheduled to meet on Thursday (16th February).

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29 Comments

  1. maltreatment
    February 14, 2012

    All should urge the Opposition to ask questions in Partliament and to demand appropriate responses from Govt. The Speaker has no right to alter a question or refuse a question to be posed in its original form once it is not libellous, defamatory or inciting violence. The people have a right TO KNOW AS ENSHRINED IN OUR cONSTITUTION.

    Politicians in Power or in Opposition are, or suppose to be, our SERVANTS never our MASTERS. The opposite usually is the order of the day. If feasible, workable, alternative development plans are forwarded in Parliament why should that be cast aside? A broken egg shell can never mend. Partisanship overrides our better judgement in Dominica. Truth is a stubborn thing to accept by many in a world filled with lies, twists and manipulation of the facts.

  2. censored
    February 14, 2012

    Did the opposition pose any questions in Parliament that has not been answered up to today? Was Govt. asked about a foreigner who received our DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT? Did that person give about $1,000,000.00 to someone in authority?

    What about the recommendations by the Independent Electoral Commission for funds to provide Voter ID cards and to CLEAN UP the bloated Voters’ List? Didn’t Parliament debate and agree to Reforms to our Electoral Process? What is the situation after advocay on those reforms for about 7 Years now? Who is blocking or stalling the initiativeby the Commission?

    There are many examples of partisan behaviour by the Speaker. DNO knows what is going on.

    Even though we try to sweep those truths under the carpet, truth will eventually emerge. The calypsonians are so right.

    • Nkrumah Kwame
      February 15, 2012

      How is the speaker responsible for the issuance of voter identification cards and the sanitising of the voters list? And you call this “evidence of biasness?”

  3. LOL
    February 14, 2012

    ‘TWAS ABOUT TIME!

  4. February 14, 2012

    YOU ARE MY HERO ALICE.

    TAKE NO FROM THEM.

  5. so_silly
    February 14, 2012

    why cant they broadcast what goes on in the house of assembly? the country is ours, and not the government own, the government have it functions to carry out, they get paid by our tax money ,the country is ours. i think we have a right to see whats happening if we are not allowed in.How can this be done?#my opinion

    • Wow!
      February 14, 2012

      Are you for real? What planet you live on? It certainly can’t be earth and in my sweet Dominica. The Parliament proceedings have been broadcast by radio AND television since 2010. It was broadcast by radio alone for many years before that. Please educate yourself before making dumb comments on DNO.

      To Admin, I know you know all this. I strongly advise that you educate your readers by providing responses to more comments. Bear in mind that not only Dominicans read this.

      • so_silly
        February 15, 2012

        well educate me, i am a young adult and truthfully speaking i dont like to listen to radio, u saying they broadcasting it on television, when? is it a one time thing? where can i get access to the proceedings? i guess u must be a government rep to by like that, “who vex burst” its my opinionn .since i known myself i never seen that being broadcast on television. yes i have heard it on radio, i doesnt have time to stop work and listen to radio. if i am wrong tell me, you seem to know alot.where can i watch the proceeding “VIA TELEVISION”. if it is being broadcast do they replay it?for those who didnt had time to watch it?

    • CIA on the watch
      February 14, 2012

      So Silly, i urge you to log in to ttparliament.org and you will see the people of Trinidad and Tobago have full view of all the proceedings of parliament, no edited version, and they are afforded a rebroadcast, right after the end of the sitting, in St. Lucia, Barbados and Jamaica is the same, This old speaker will not make use of technology for us to see how she behaves in parliament

      • Liveandletlive
        February 14, 2012

        Usual uninformed nonsense. Who you think introduced live TV in Parliament.

      • so_silly
        February 15, 2012

        i dont want to view other countries proceedings, i am aware of them. i want to view my country “DOMINICA” proceedings via television. dominica always backward to alot of things. I waiting for #WOW to answer me to tell me where and when i will be able to view dominica parliament proceedings via television

    • February 14, 2012

      It’s a great idea then we would see how the speaker conduct herself in person in my opinion she is their to block all questions that shows up the GOVT she dont know what balance is all about,

    • Nkrumah Kwame
      February 15, 2012

      there is live broadcast of the proceedings of the house

  6. FORKIT
    February 14, 2012

    i hear de lady already made changes to the questions for next house meeting….

  7. CIA on the watch
    February 14, 2012

    DNO, i am happy to see this speaker welcoming back the opposition back in parliament, a few weeks ago she was at a speakers conference in Trinidad, i do hope she had the opportunity to see the speaker of the Trinidad parliament and the president of the Trinidad senate presiding over their respective chambers without fear or favor, lets see how much that welcome back to UWP means to her, i urge the members of the opposition if they have to walk out over and over again pl do, let the world see how politically bias this woman is.

  8. Marcel
    February 14, 2012

    I hope the Speaker realizes that one of her main responsibilities is to protect the minority opposition members. This is even more important where you have a 23 to 7 Parliament.

    Let us see you perform that responsibility better Madame Speaker this time around.

  9. Clink Clark boom
    February 14, 2012

    You happy for what you cannot do with skerrit for for you to do with them. Your time coming soon……………..

    • LOL
      February 14, 2012

      Your comment makes absolutely no sense!

  10. Jacky Chan
    February 14, 2012

    The old speaker must be super excited that those Lambi come back so she can hammer them. Since Skerro embarrassed her she’s been waiting to vent her frustration. I hope Eddie and them wearing shield and body guard because an old speaker is an old speaker even if you change the plywood and finishing.

  11. plain jane!!!!!
    February 14, 2012

    balanced and fair madame speaker! these two wrds r afraid of u!

  12. biggz
    February 14, 2012

    but who is this lady?

  13. conscious
    February 14, 2012

    The sale of our passports and the issuance of our diplomatic passports to those with plenty money is a serious problem which has placed Dominica in problems. But in Dominica, the people who asked questions in Parliament about the diplomatic passport given to Susan Olde and the whereabouts of US$400,000.00 in exchange , were charged initially almost 1/4 million dollars in court. We understood later that the money went to A fly-by-night NGO,”Citizens for a Better Dminica.” DNO must be aware of thoise things. Certainly that is the TRUTH.

    Non-Dominicans are being appointed as our Ambassadors to foreign lands,given diplomatic passports, deals are made, $$$$$$ going to God knows where, but Dominicans are not informed by their Govt. Not even in Parliament would authorities be willing to speak the TRUTH about those matters. Genuine questions to be asked are disallowed. We are not fools.

    In the same Parliament, the question of Electoral Reform was discussed, debated about 7 years ago. Parliament agreed to the proposal of the Independent Electoral Commission to provide VOTER ID CARDS and TO CLEAN UP THe bloated VOTERS LIST. Up to today No action, no forward movement to make necessary changes to our Electoral process, although such changes would make our elections FREE and FAIR. Debate as much as they want, expect no difference in attitudes. Even alternatives are brought up in Parliament, the ruling DLP would not bulge or listen. How many people cried about the $27,000,000.00 State palace, opposition as well as a cross section of Society, who ion Govt. listened? Agriculture is dying. Manufacturing on serious decline. Yet Govt. borrow that huge sum from China to create jobs for the Chineses to build it. No debate in Parliament would change Govt.’s backward decision.

    All avenues must be used to bring the message across. The question is whether our people are ready to LOVE Dominica first before PARTY, stamp out corruption, high-handedness, narcissist behaviours and condemn politicians and others who use their office to enrich themselves quickly by dubious means. Let the TRUTH Prevail. Let all ideas contend.

  14. Anonymous
    February 14, 2012

    Madam you had better behave yourself and let the people make their representation. Jesus walked the earth and never prevented opposing voices from speaking out.

    Take from his leaf his book … and yes madam …. YOU ALL OPERATE AS IF THERE SHOULD BE NO OPPOSITION AND THIS MADNESS HAS GOT TO STOP!!!!

    BY THE WAY HAVE A GREAT CARNIVAL :)

  15. Miss G
    February 14, 2012

    Oh really unfair to you thats an understatement

  16. 1979 eTErNAL
    February 14, 2012

    you not for the people Ma knight. let the hard questions be addressed and we will believe you.

  17. Anonymous
    February 14, 2012

    Ya, but you will give them a break this time around…..None of your

  18. Gee
    February 14, 2012

    Let’s hope the UWP behave themselves!
    AND………. also MADAME speaker you must be fair to all parties during debates!!!

  19. hmmm
    February 14, 2012

    The word is ‘bias.’

  20. Hey
    February 14, 2012

    Whatever!

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