Matter for Speaker if former Premier is excused from HOA
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has said it is entirely up to the Speaker of the House whether to accept Premier Andrew Fahie’s notice of absence from parliamentary sittings.
Fahie, who is currently facing charges of drug smuggling and money laundering before a United States Court, has been incarcerated and later restricted to home confinement since being arrested on April 28.
“The Standing Order states that he must receive written permission from the Speaker so it is certainly a matter for the Speaker as it pertains to whether he can be excused from the sittings from the House of Assembly,” Dr Wheatley said while responding to the media recently.
Dr Wheatley previously stated that the former Premier should focus on his trial and should not be concerned with the House of Assembly at this point given his circumstances.
House Speaker, Corine George-Massicote announced during a sitting of the HOA last week that Fahie sent notice of his intended absence from the current sitting of the House of Assembly.
Since his arrest at the Miami-Opa Locka Airport in late April, the First District Representative has missed one sitting of the House.
Under the rules that govern the HOA, Fahie stands in danger of having to vacate his seat as First District Representative if he is absent in any one session of the House for more than three consecutive sittings without the written leave of the Speaker.
Fahie is facing life imprisonment if convicted on the drug trafficking and money laundering charges brought against him by the United States government. His trial is expected to commence on July 18.
“The Standing Order states that he must receive written permission from the Speaker so it is certainly a matter for the Speaker as it pertains to whether he can be excused from the sittings from the House of Assembly,” Dr Wheatley said while responding to the media recently.
Dr Wheatley previously stated that the former Premier should focus on his trial and should not be concerned with the House of Assembly at this point given his circumstances.
House Speaker, Corine George-Massicote announced during a sitting of the HOA last week that Fahie sent notice of his intended absence from the current sitting of the House of Assembly.
Since his arrest at the Miami-Opa Locka Airport in late April, the First District Representative has missed one sitting of the House.
Under the rules that govern the HOA, Fahie stands in danger of having to vacate his seat as First District Representative if he is absent in any one session of the House for more than three consecutive sittings without the written leave of the Speaker.
Fahie is facing life imprisonment if convicted on the drug trafficking and money laundering charges brought against him by the United States government. His trial is expected to commence on July 18.
