Minister of State Michael Freeland has praised Senate President Alincia Williams-Grant for what he called her "firm and necessary" handling of a parliamentary dispute that saw Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle ordered out of Tuesday's joint sitting of Parliament.
Pringle, the parliamentary representative for All Saints East and St. Luke, was directed to leave after Williams-Grant ruled he had not fulfilled the constitutional requirement of taking the oath of allegiance before participating in the proceedings. The ruling caused a delayed start to the sitting, which was attended by members of both Houses and invited guests.
Williams-Grant said the matter had been brought to her attention before proceedings began and that efforts were made to resolve it privately. Despite being aware of the situation, Pringle still entered the chamber.
"If the members in this house have not taken the oath, they should not be in this house. And I'm asking the honourable Jamal Pringle to remove himself, or I will have the sergeant-at-arms remove him," Williams-Grant declared during the sitting.
Freeland, who serves as Member of Parliament for St. George and Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment, defended the Senate President's decision, asserting that parliamentary rules and constitutional procedures must be upheld regardless of political standing.
"The Senate President acted appropriately and within the confines of the Constitution. No one is above the rules of Parliament, including the Leader of the Opposition," Freeland said.
He criticised opposition members for what he described as an attempt to manufacture unnecessary confrontation during a significant national event.
"This could have been avoided entirely had the Opposition ensured that all constitutional requirements were met beforehand. Instead, what the nation witnessed was political theatre at the expense of parliamentary order and respect for the institution," Freeland said.
The minister also commended Williams-Grant for maintaining control of the chamber under difficult circumstances. "She demonstrated leadership, discipline and courage in enforcing the rules without fear or favour. At the end of the day, Parliament cannot operate based on emotions or political pressure. It must operate according to law," he added.
Following the ruling, Pringle exited the chamber alongside opposition senators. The walkout drew criticism from United Progressive Party officials, who accused the Senate President of acting in a partisan manner.
Freeland dismissed those claims outright, arguing that constitutional obligations are unambiguous and cannot be selectively applied. "The Constitution is not optional. The oath is a basic requirement for participation in parliamentary proceedings, and the Senate President was absolutely correct to insist that the law be respected," he said.
