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EMBARRASSED: Former Speaker laments Parliament shutdown and ‘egos put before people’

FORMER House Speaker Dr Kendal Major says the abrupt adjournment of the House on Wednesday is “grossly unfortunate”, insisting government should not have been caught in an “embarrassing” situation.

Out of touch: Former Speaker blasts ‘mediocre, tribal’ Parliament

THE Minnis administration-led Parliament is “deeply tribal,” “mediocre” and “unproductive”, according to former House Speaker Dr Kendal Major.

Govt accused of exploiting ruling

THE traditionally powerful Public Accounts Committee has been stalled, thwarted and handicapped in its ability to carry out its constitutional mandate, according to an interim report.

Ex-speaker is surprised at end to appeal

FORMER House Speaker Dr Kendal Major yesterday said he was surprised by the government’s decision to drop its appeal of the Supreme Court ruling on parliamentary privilege rather than allow the matter to be fully aired in the courts.

Speaker predicts this will be last manual registration

HOUSE of Assembly Speaker Dr Kendal Major yesterday forecast that the 2017 general election will be the last time voters will be subjected to a manual registration system, insisting that there was no excuse for the outdated practice.

Speaker: Priority must be to deepen democracy

IN HIS last formal communication at Parliament this term, House Speaker Dr Kendal Major yesterday called on whoever forms the new government and opposition to “prioritise” the deepening of the country’s democracy to spark a greater level of trust from Bahamians.

Speaker allows debate despite judicial review bid

EFFORTS by Official Opposition members yesterday to have debate on the draft order for constituency boundaries postponed while their application for a judicial review of the order is before the court were rebuffed by House Speaker Dr Kendal Major, who allowed the debate to begin as scheduled.

Boundary report delayed amid slow registration

THE Constituencies Commission has stalled the release of its boundaries report in the hope that the sluggish voter registration will pick up considerably over the next few weeks.

House Speaker disappointed as boundary report still not completed

HOUSE Speaker Dr Kendal Major, who is also chairman of the Constituencies Commission, is “disappointed” that the group has not completed its report, while revealing that several factors, including low voter registration numbers and “contention” among members, delayed its progress.

Constituency Commission due to convene as speaker denies it is behind schedule

THE Constituencies Commission is expected to convene in the coming weeks, as House Speaker Dr Kendal Major denied that the group was behind schedule as described by Free National Movement Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest.

Wells slammed as ‘misfit’ as PLP ratifies three candidates

THE Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) last night announced the ratification of three candidates for the upcoming general election, including House Speaker and Member of Parliament for Garden Hills, Dr Kendal Major.

Emails ‘should not have been tabled’

HOUSE Speaker Dr Kendall Major admitted yesterday that he should not have allowed Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald to read and table the private emails of environmental action group Save The Bays in Parliament.

Speaker was ‘overzealous’ in suspending Andre Rollins from House of Assembly

HOUSE Speaker Dr Kendal Major’s decision to suspend Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins from the House of Assembly last week was an “over zealous” move that may have been more reflective of a contentious relationship, according to Free National Movement Deputy Leader K Peter Turnquest yesterday.

Speaker: Judges should not be called before Parliament

HOUSE of Assembly Speaker Dr Kendal Major said yesterday that parliamentarians should not seek to call judges before Parliament to answer for their rulings.

Speaker shock at injunction

HOUSE Speaker Dr Kendal Major said he was both “astonished” and “offended” by the recent granting of an injunction, which bars members of Parliament from disclosing Save The Bays’ confidential information during proceedings, calling it a “pre-emptive onslaught” against the independence of the lower chamber.

Speaker launches probe of Stellar CEO comments

SPEAKER of the House of Assembly Dr Kendal Major instructed a parliamentary committee yesterday to investigate recent comments by Stellar Waste to Energy CEO Fabrizio Zanaboni, who claimed that some parliamentarians requested money from him even though he had business before the government at the time.

Speaker: I reached a point where enough was enough

HOUSE Speaker Dr Kendal Major moved to clarify comments he made last week in Parliament that insinuated that he wanted to be replaced, saying in that moment he had reached a point where enough was enough.

Speaker urges increase in constituency allowances

HOUSE of Assembly Speaker Dr Kendal Major yesterday urged Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Perry Christie to “have mercy” on parliamentarians by considering raising their constituency allowance.

PAC blocked by Speaker

HOUSE Speaker Dr Kendal Major has ordered the Public Accounts Committee to “stay its hand” regarding its investigation into Urban Renewal 2.0 until Parliament can decide on the way forward.

Legal opinion delays speaker over PAC probe instructions

A LEGAL opinion purportedly sought by the Office of the Attorney General dismissing the legality of the Public Accounts Committee’s actions as it investigates Urban Renewal may have interfered with House Speaker Dr Kendal Major’s decision to summon Urban Renewal’s co-chairs to appear before the PAC.

Shock over AG advice - Legal opinion over PAC 'unprecedented'

HOUSE Speaker Dr Kendal Major was “shocked” and “taken aback” by a legal opinion the Office of the Attorney General sought from international and local attorneys about the legality of the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) investigations into Urban Renewal.

Speaker backs probe by PAC

HOUSE of Assembly Speaker Dr Kendal Major said he sees no fault in the process the Public Accounts Committee is taking to get answers about the scathing findings from the Urban Renewal’s Small Home Repairs Programme that are in an audit by Auditor General Terrance Bastian.

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