Speaker criticises Chronicle report Guyana Chronicle April 9, 1999 SPEAKER of the National Assembly, Mr. Derek Jagan, has issued a statement criticising the report on page three of yesterday's Chronicle headed `PNC members walk out of Parliament'. In the statement read at yesterday's sitting of the National Assembly, he said the report "is wholly inaccurate, misleading and a clear breach of the privilege of the Assembly." Mr. Jagan's statement said: "The reporter obviously has no idea of the practice and/or procedure of the National Assembly. Contrary to what was stated in the article, I did not refuse to grant Dr. Joseph an extension. In fact, the National Assembly and not the Speaker has that power and that is why the Hon. Member, Mr. Dunstan Barrow, had moved a motion to the effect. There were several other inaccuracies in the report. It is not true as reported that after the Hon. Member, Mr. Barrow, moved the motion he attempted to speak and that I asked him to take his seat. In fact, as soon as the Hon. Member moved the motion, he rightly sat down as no debate is permitted on such a motion. The Hon. Member did not attempt to speak nor did I ask him to take his seat and then put the motion. After the Hon. Member, Mr. Barrow, moved the motion and sat down, I then put the motion to the Assembly. On the voting, it was my view that the motion was negatived and I said `I think the noes have it.' No one called for a division. As no division was requested, I called on the Hon. Dr. Henry Jeffrey, Minister of Health and Labour, who was next listed to speak, to do so. The Minister stood up to do so and then the Hon. Member, Mr. Barrow, stood up and, as is the practice, the Minister sat down. I then asked the Hon. Member, Mr. Barrow if there was a problem and as he did not reply, I requested him to take his seat. I then again called on the Hon. Minister, Dr. Jeffrey, who stood up to speak, whereupon, the Hon. Member, Mrs. Backer, stood up and the Hon. Minister again sat down. The Hon. Member, Mrs. Backer, then asked for a division and I informed her that it was then too late to request a division. I then again called on the Hon. Minister who again stood up to speak. It was at this stage the PNC Members walked out. It was misleading for the reporter to give readers the impression that I first called on the Hon. Minister to speak after I had denied the request by the Hon. Member, Mrs. Backer, or that the Hon. Member, Mrs. Backer, requested a division immediately after the voting. This was not so as I have already stated. I hope the Editor of the Guyana Chronicle will correct the false report, and, ensure that in future, the procedures and debates in the National Assembly are accurately reported. A misrepresentation of Parliamentary debates is a serious breach of privilege and could involve enforcement of restriction on reporting, censure or other punishment of the offender." The Chronicle sincerely regrets the lapse in not reporting fully the sequence of events, because of time constraints, which may have created the wrong impression.