Edghill arrested after bid to enter Parliament

Heightened security: Security checks were tightened at parliament yesterday following the entrance and disappearance of a santa last week and Monday’s disturbances in Parliament Chambers.

Suspended PPP/C Member of Parliament (MP) Bishop Juan Edghill was yesterday arrested after an attempt to enter the compound of the Public Buildings, where the resumption of the consideration of the national budget estimates saw a brief opposition walkout over House Speaker Dr Barton Scotland’s decision to allow the approval without scrutiny of allocations slated to be examined at the previous day’s disrupted session.

Using their majority, the government members yesterday passed a motion for Edghill to be suspended for four sittings, prompting Opposition Leader Bharrat Jagdeo to accuse both them and Scotland of attempting to “muzzle” the MP to avoid the scrutiny of key agencies. Jagdeo added that while the PPP/C stood in solidarity with Edghill, it would nevertheless participate in the examination of the remaining estimates.

The estimates passed without questions include those for the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Business, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Natural Resources and some for the Ministry of Presidency.

A day after he defied