Where Have You Been All This Time?

Speaker Ratu Epeli Nailatikau yesterday questioned National Federation Party Member of Parliament Lenora Qereqeretabua where she had been when the business committee had decided how Parliament was going to vote.

Ms Qereqeretabua raised a point of order in Parliament yesterday seeking an amendment to how Parliament votes.

The Speaker said: “Thank you. Honourable   Member. I don’t know where you have been. I don’t, I don’t know where you have been all this time. The Business Committee has made its decision on the voting system.

“Unless that is changed by the Business Committee, it won’t change. And if you think I’m going to change it. No. No, I can’t change that. That’s not the job of the Speaker. That’s the job of the Business Committee and the business committee makes the decision. Don’t try, filibuster, and hold back the process.

“We’re going to have the vote now. Honourable Members of Parliament will now vote.”

NFP was represented by Ms Qereqeretabua and President Pio Tikoduadua at the business committee where the process for voting was decided upon.

Despite being there when the decision was made, she raised a point of order in Parliament to get the process amended.