In Saint Lucia, lawmakers support constitutional amendment for compulsory appointment of deputy speaker

Legislators, this week, voted and approved a Bill to amend the Constitution, in order to ensure the post of Deputy Speaker is compulsorily occupied and any vacancy thereafter is filled. In tabling the motion, Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre noted that the Bill was intended to shield the constitution from abuse and uphold its integrity. "This constitutional amendment is to end the violation of Article 36 of the constitution that has taken place for more than five years in this honourable house," declared PM Pierre, at [the] House sitting [on 7 March]. [...] Consequently, as per the amendment, the Deputy Speaker may be elected from either the members of the House who are not members of [the cabinet] or parliamentary secretaries or among persons who are not members of the House. [...] In his rebuttal, Opposition Leader Allen Chastanet contended that it was the duty of parliament to elect a deputy speaker and that his administration, during their stint of office (2016 to 2021) were under no obligation to elect an MP to that post. Said Chastanet: "Who is responsible for electing a deputy speaker? The entity for electing a deputy speaker is parliament." To substantiate this point, he argued, "If all members of the house on the government side are put into Cabinet or are parliamentary secretaries, it goes that it must come from the opposition."
Read the full article here: The Voice