Speaker Azarel Ernesta faced her first protest in the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Opposition members challenged her ruling on time limits for supplementary questions during a Private Notice Question (PNQ).
The protest happened during a session involving Vice-President Sebastien Pillay.
Mr Pillay was answering a PNQ from Opposition Leader Bernard Georges.
Tensions rose when LDS proportionally elected member Wavel Woodcock raised a matter of privilege under Order 40.1.
Mr Woodcock said members were being restricted from asking supplementary questions during the PNQ.
“I feel Mrs Speaker that you are preventing us from talking in the National Assembly,” Mr Woodcock said. “In the past, members had the right to ask two questions and one supplementary,” he added. “Today we are getting only one question.”
Speaker Ernesta replied that Mr Woodcock had not explained how his privilege had been breached.
“You have to tell us how and you have to substantiate,” she said. “I am not preventing you from speaking,” Speaker Ernesta added. “My ruling was very clear yesterday. We are talking about a PNQ which is a privilege of the Leader of the Opposition.”
Mr Woodcock then stood up and left the chamber.
Following a short break, the session resumed without a quorum.
Most LDS members did not return to the Assembly.
“I would like to point out under 10.2 that we do not have a quorum in the Assembly,” said LDS member John Hoareau.
Speaker Ernesta acknowledged the concern.
She said the Assembly could not proceed without a quorum.
The sitting was then adjourned until further notice.
After the incident, Mr Georges issued a statement explaining the opposition’s protest.
“The LDS Members of the National Assembly this morning decided not to return to the Chamber after the morning break,” he said.
Mr Georges said opposition members were concerned about how Assembly business was being conducted.
He referred to the Speaker’s ruling on supplementary questions during Question Time and PNQs.
Mr Georges said members believed the decisions were taken without consultation.
He said the ruling limited their ability to seek information and challenge responses.
Mr Georges also accused Vice-President Pillay of making accusations against opposition members during the PNQ on fuel and commodity prices.
According to Mr Georges, the Speaker did not intervene.
He also said lengthy responses reduced the time available for questions and clarification.
“The Opposition in the National Assembly is eager to work in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding,” Mr Georges said.
He said the opposition hoped the protest would restore “the equilibrium which has characterized its work so far.”