Caption: Deputy Speaker Dr Aiyna Ali takes over from Speaker Jagdeo Singh. Photo: T&T Parliament

By Alicia Chamely

JUST minutes after she delivered her historic maiden Budget reply as Opposition Leader,  Penelope Beckles was sent to the Privileges Committee for accusing House Speaker Jagdeo Singh of being biased against the Opposition.

Beckles had finished her inaugural Budget 2026 response as Leader of the Opposition on Friday in the Lower House of Parliament, when Deputy House Speaker Dr Aiyna Ali announced Beckles had been referred to the Privileges Committee by Member for Couva South Barry Padarath in relation to a statement she made on October 10 regarding Singh.

On October 10, the Opposition led a walk out of Parliament after a shouting match erupted between members of Government and the Opposition.

Later that evening the People’s National Movement (PNM) Opposition would put out a release alleging Singh had shown a pattern of unfair bias and behaviour against the Opposition.

Ali said, “On Monday 13, October 2025, I received a matter of Privilege from the Member for Couva South in accordance with Standing Order 32:2. The Member for Couva South sought leave to raise the following matter: During the sitting of the House of Representative on October 10, 2025, members of the Opposition bench staged a parliamentary walk out, which was followed by a subsequent statement on their actions by the Leader of the Opposition, and Member for Arima.

“The Member for Couva South submitted that under the letterhead of the Leader of the Opposition, on October 10, 2025, the following public statement was issued: ‘After months of enduring bias and prejudicial behaviour from the presiding officer of the Lower House, all members of parliament on the Opposition bench were left with no choice but to leave today’s sitting. The pattern of unfair treatment and rulings has continued unchecked and unaddressed. It is not beyond question to unbiased observers that the current Speaker of the House has failed in his duty to act impartially and to uphold the Constitution and the Standing Orders of Parliament’.”

Ali said Padarath had raised the issue of privilege based on the Beckles alleged attempt “to bring into disrepute the independent, democratic work of the House of Representatives in the eyes of the public for political gain by questioning the independence of the presiding officer.”

She said Padarath referred to this as an act of “constructive contempt against the House of Representatives.”

Delivering her ruling Ali said, “The House of Representatives and Parliament, as an institution, represents the foundation of democracy. Democracy, no matter what side of the aisles we stand, must always be preserved. Preserving democracy means protecting the independence of our Parliament in the public eyes, as well as the operations of its duties.

“It has always been a precedent of our Republic and past Parliaments to never bring the presiding officer into the realm of political attacks or aspersions, based on protecting the dignity of our parliamentary institution.”

She continued, “Honourable members, in deciding whether a prima facie case of contempt has been made out, the Chair must carefully consider the facts alleged and all the information placed before her.”

Ali said, “I have done that and have found that a prima facie case of contempt has indeed been made out.”

“I so rule and refer this matter to the Committee of Privileges for consideration and report,” she concluded.