ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC):

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has criticised the behaviour of the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP) and its eight opposition legislators who were suspended from the sitting of the Dominica Parliament yesterday.

"The level at which the opposition has brought this Parliament is an embarrassment for everybody," he told Parliament, adding that their actions were aimed at disrupting the parliamentary debate.

"Their minds were made up and their actions were calculated. It was organised and it had to be implemented by the hook or the crook."

He said that legislators who had questions included on the Order Paper were not even present for the session.

Standing boldly

"There were five questions posed to the government, three of them came from (Opposition) Norris Prevost, but he was not present this morning to ask these questions," Skerrit said, adding that the Opposition parliamentarians were trying to give the impression that his administration did not want to answer questions submitted to the Parliament.

"Let me say to this House that I am not afraid to answer any questions asked by the Opposition in this House and the UWP must stop giving the impression that they are not being allowed to ask their questions."

Skerrit said the opposition is wasting the time of Dominicans on whose behalf they ask the questions. He says the opposition is looking for sympathy from Dominicans.

"They refuse to ask the questions, instead they have decided to go out there on the streets and hope they get sympathy from Dominicans," Skerrit said.