Speaker Woods breaks her silence on Shyne’s removal

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Valerie Woods, has broken her silence on Friday’s heated exchange between her and the Leader of the Opposition, Moses “Shyne” Barrow. The argument led to Barrow being kicked out of the National Assembly Building after making unparliamentary remarks to Woods. Barrow had risen to his feet and was attempting to have his point of order heard when Woods informed him that standing to clarify was not a point of order. Barrow, whose mic was off, then told the speaker she was acting like a PUP, which led to his removal. Barrow has denied making the statements and claimed that Speaker Woods was being biased. Today, our newsroom asked Woods about the exchange and her response to Barrow’s remarks.

Valerie Woods, Speaker of the House of Representative: “The ruling was made in the House and there’s no bias but I also want to be clear on the role and responsibility of the speaker. It would be inappropriate and irresponsible for the speaker to participate in the politics that is on display outside of the chamber and for the speaker to engage or encourage or condone any further continued disrespect of the speaker. So I won’t be engaging in a back and forth. Any comments I have will always be made in the chamber in the House as part of announcements by speaker. I also would like to state for the public that any member can disagree with the ruling of a speaker, any member can. What a member should not do is question the conduct of the speaker in the rulings and decision making and then continuing to double down on that when the speaker has so ruled and so decided. I think it would be not in good form and as I said inappropriate for me to continue what is regrettably already on display outside of the chamber on a matter of a ruling made in the chamber by the speaker. There is a place for that and I will do that in the House.”