MINISTER for Multi-Ethnic Affairs Charan Jeath Singh was issued a ‘ellow card’ yesterday and ordered to leave Parliament for one-and-a-half hours after Speaker Filimone Jitoko found him guilty of disorderly conduct during a debate in the previous parliamentary sitting.
Mr Jitoko ruled that Mr Singh had used unparliamentary expressions during a debate over the allocation of a $2 million multi-ethnic grant to community-based organisations.
The Speaker said Mr Singh’s response to Opposition MP Alvick Maharaj was delivered in a patronising and condescending manner.
“I find the use of phrases and expressions like, ‘you listen to me’, or ‘listen here’, and delivered by the Honourable Singh in what sounded to me to be a patronising and condescending manner, were unparliamentary, and therefore disorderly,” Mr Jitoko said.
He said Mr Singh was guilty of disorderly conduct under Standing Order 75 and ordered him to withdraw from Parliament and its precincts for one-and-a-half hours.
Mr Jitoko also found Mr Maharaj guilty of disorderly conduct after he shouted in response to Mr Singh’s comments during a separate exchange concerning religious practices and the upgrade of a crematorium.
“I find that Honourable Maharaj’s shouting response to Honourable Singh’s statement also disorderly and in breach of the rules and conduct of the debate and for the decorum of the House.”
Mr Maharaj was ordered to write a letter of apology to the Office of the Speaker, which would be entered into the official record.
The Speaker said the conduct did not amount to gross or grave disorder warranting more severe sanctions.
