00:00In her statement, Robinson-Regis questions the standing order used to prevent Marvin Gonzalez's motion from proceeding during Friday's sitting.
00:08She argues that while standing order 41 requires a motion to be moved, it does not specify particular words that
00:15must be used to do so.
00:17Robinson-Regis says, quote,
00:19The rules require through standing order 41 that a motion be moved.
00:23It does not prescribe a form of words and it does not say when particular words must be uttered.
00:29Our practice is that a member opens with, I beg to move, and customarily repeats those words at the close
00:36of the presentation.
00:37Nothing in the standing orders says the repetition is mandatory, far less that omitting it causes a motion already moved
00:45to cease to exist.
00:46Robinson-Regis also points to a June 2025 sitting involving Health Minister Dr. Lacrambodo, which she says demonstrates how the
00:55customary wording was handled on that occasion.
00:58The MP says, quote,
01:00On 13th June 2025, Health Minister Dr. Lacrambodo completed his presentation and Speaker Jagdao Singh reminded him that he might
01:09wish to beg to move the bill.
01:11The minister said he had already done so, repeated the words, and the House carried on.
01:17Robinson-Regis argues that the incident demonstrates that the omission of the customary phrase can be corrected during proceedings rather
01:24than invalidate the motion.
01:26She says the issue goes beyond a simple procedural dispute, arguing that while some parliamentary requirements carry legal consequences,
01:34others are conventions intended to regulate the conduct of proceedings.
01:39The speaker, meanwhile, said on Friday that González's time had expired before he moved the motion,
01:45and that another opposition MP could not second a motion that had not been moved.
01:50Dominic Ramroop, TV6 News.
01:52Dominic Ramroop, TV6 News.
