Robert Hart, Assistant News Editor
THE HOUSE of Representatives descended into chaos last night, forcing Deputy House Speaker O.T. Williams to abruptly adjourn the sitting.
He took the action when the Government and Opposition failed to end a screaming blame game over roadways damaged by recent hurricanes.
Minister of Transport and Works, Robert Pickersgill, defended himself from critics across the aisle, reeling off quotes of multimillion-dollar allocations for road repair to Jamaica Labour Party (JLP)-run parish councils.
Minister Pickersgill demanded that Opposition MPs go "ask your mayors!" what happened to the money and why the roads had not been properly maintained.
The Works Minister was responding to Opposition Member of Parliament Everard Warmington who, on the motion for the adjournment, called for an explanation of what Government was doing to fix roads damaged by Hurricane Wilma.
SPEAKING AT LENGTH
Mr. Warmington, who spoke at length about road damage, was followed by Opposition MPs Pearnel Charles, Delroy Chuck, and Andrew Holness.
However, on realising that more Opposition MPs were lining up to speak, the Deputy House Speaker said he would allow just one more Opposition member, in the person of Joseph Hibbert, to speak.
The Deputy House Speaker said it was not meant to be a full debate, and that it appeared to him that MPs were being repetitive in discussing specific damage to their constituencies.
However, Leader of Opposition Business, Derrick Smith, bargained successfully for the addition of
MPs Ruddy Spencer and Shahine Robinson to the discussion before the Works Minister's response.
Minister Pickersgill claimed more than $6 billion had been allocated to parish councils for infrastructural road repair.
He said that $2.8 billion had been delivered to parish councils in 2003/2004 while $3.6 billion had been spent in 2004/2005.
"Now it is interesting to know how those funds have been spent, Mr. Speaker. I am talking about parish council roads," Mr. Pickersgill said.
He said St. James had received $295 million in 2003/2004 and $369 million last financial year. He added that St. Mary had received $77 million and $110 million over the two years and Clarendon had received $170 million and $253 million.
