National Assembly Chambers of St. Kitts and Nevis (file photo)
The National Assembly is currently meeting in an Emergency Sitting today Friday to extend the the State of Emergency in the Federation. Constitutionally, such a period can only be in force for 21 days and a resolution would have to be moved to extend it up to one year.
As this is a special circumstance, a motion had to be moved to stipulate the timing of presentations. MP Eugene Hamilton, Leader of Government Business indicated that all persons, inclusive of the Opposition, agreed to the proposal of a 30 minute presentation from each speaker, except the mover of the motion.
MP Konris Maynard of the Opposition Bench countered that statement saying that their discussion ended with an agreement of each person, inclusive of the mover, speak for 30 minutes.
Speaker Michael Perkins then ruled that presentations should be conducted as they would at a regular sitting of the National Parliament.
Up until press time, Member of Parliament (MP) Timothy Harris of Constituency 7 moved the motion to extend the State of Emergency but did not give a definite time for the extension sought.
MP Konris Maynard pointed out that the resolution did not indicate the time frame and spoke of the consequences of an extended period of a state of emergency.