Earl Moxam, Senior Gleaner Writer

THE SPEAKER of Parliament resorted to calling 'time out', as exasperated parents do with high-spirited children, in order to restore a semblance of order at one point during Wednesday's meeting of the Standing Finance Committee of Parliament.

Speaker Michael Peart barely managed to be heard above the cross chamber shouting to declare a temporary halt - a virtual ceasefire - at approximately 4:55 p.m. He then summoned Leader of Government Business, Dr. Peter Phillips, and Derrick Smith, Leader of Opposition Business, to his office to discuss the problem.

It started when Audley Shaw, Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Manchester, accused Richard Azan, his neighbour in North West Clarendon, of using his position as Minister of State for Works to overspend public funds on road repairs and the construction of retaining walls in his constituency to the detriment of others.

Bad rumour

According to Shaw, Opposition Spokesman on Finance, 28 roads were repaired and 40 retaining walls constructed during the last fiscal year in North West Clarendon at an approximate cost of $500 million.

This led to a chorus of charges and countercharges while Robert Pickersgill, Azan's senior minister, attempted to answer the charges on behalf of his beleaguered colleague.

"This is a rumour that has no basis in truth or reality!" he declared.

Going through a list of completed projects, Pickersgill claimed that, contrary to the accusation against Azan, North West Clarendon did not receive the largest allocation of funds last year. Referring specifically to a flood control programme, he said that distinction went to Delroy Chuck's North East St. Andrew, with $128.25 million, as against $103.5 million for the North West Clarendon constituency.

Azan himself, in a letter circulated to members of the press earlier in the day, rejecting a charge of political victimisation levelled at him by Opposition Leader Bruce Golding.

But Audley Shaw was far from satisfied. Putting on a grave countenance, he sombrely intoned: "Mr. Speaker, I fear, sir, that we are being misled in this House in a wholesale fashion ..." Then, warming to the task, he switched gears and thundered: "What we have here is obfuscation!"

Shaw was challenged by the Speaker to prove his allegations and he promised to produce the list of projects cited in his allegations.

Seeking a spectacle

That was not the end of the matter, however, as it seemed every member present wanted to have his say and to have that say at the same time as all the others. With so many microphones lighting up simultaneously, however, the electronic system apparently overrode the manual operations and shutdown some of them, whereupon there were instant cries of "sabotage!" And when one tried to speak without the aid of his disabled microphone he was helpfully advised by others to "shut yu mout!"

Above the din, Shaw, anxious to resume prosecution of the case, did a 'testing, testing' check on his microphone. Pickersgill, wanting to show that he was ready to answer the charges on behalf of the defence, advised him to "run it man, run it!"

There were cries of righteous indignation at this "unwarranted" assault upon the integrity of the members.

The Speaker, by now, had had enough. So, with a bang of his gavel, he suspended the sitting.

The 15 minute break presented a study in human behaviour. Somewhat reminiscent of trench warfare days during World War I, the opposing forces emergedfrom their 'trenches' during the break in hostilities to greet each other and share jokes, only to return to their hostile positions and resume lobbing deadly missiles at each other once the break had ended.

Upon the resumption, the Speaker sternly restated the rules of engagement. Only one person at a time would be recognised to speak and only the person recognised must have his microphone on along with that of the Speaker.

For a short while it seemed his words were being heeded, but then, nature, it seemed, reasserted itself, and the fireworks resumed.

The main target for the day, it appeared, was Richard Azan; and next on the firing range was Andrew Gallimore. He accused the junior minister of continuing to come into his constituency with the caretaker/ candidate for the constituency from Azan's own People's National Party to tour road projects without advising or inviting him, the Member of Parliament, along for the event.

Damning charges

That initial accusation opened the gate for a flood of similar and even more damning charges to be lobbed at the junior works minister by several other Opposition MPs.

Clive Mullings, scenting blood, threatened to bring a censure motion to Parliament against the junior minister.

Yet, through it all, Azan sat impassively while Pickersgill, his boss, struggled to cope with all the incoming verbal missiles.