by Linda Straker
- Video on social media platforms showed MP Kate Lewis-Peters scrolling her mobile phone
- Emmalin Pierre, NNP Political Leader wants House Speaker Leo Cato to investigate
- Andre Lewis, Labour Movement representative, will also research illegal recording
Emmalin Pierre, Political Leader of the New National Party (NNP), is of the view that the privacy of a Member of Parliament (MP) on the Opposition side was violated during the recent sitting and wants House Speaker Leo Cato to investigate.
Following the 28 January 2025 sitting of the Lower House or House of Representatives, a video was disseminated on social media platforms showing MP Kate Lewis-Peters scrolling her personal mobile phone with the caption claiming she was shopping on a popular site.
The video became a trending topic, with some describing the action as a violation of House rules. The rules of Parliament mandate that only people who have received permission from the Speaker can use electronic devices in the chamber while there is a sitting.
While addressing a public meeting of the NNP on Sunday, 9 February 2025, Pierre, who represents the people of St Andrew South-East in the Lower House and is a member of the House Committee, said that she will be making an official request to the House Speaker that an investigation be carried out, and the culprit banned from attending sittings.
“The worst place that such an invasion of privacy could have taken place is in the Parliament of this country and so tonight I want to announce that this team NNP will raise this issue and we will not stop until it is properly investigated and action is taken. As a matter of fact, I go on to say that the person who is caught guilty must be banned from returning to the House of Parliament,” she said. “We cannot treat so lightly [in] the People’s House and so we will be making a call for the Speaker of the House to do an urgent swift investigation and to provide publicly the findings of this investigation,” she said, expressing solidarity with MP Lewis-Peters. “We have to stand in solidarity with our own self because we don’t know what was taken before.”
Andre Lewis, representative of the Labour Movement in the Upper House or Senate, also expressed concern about the video recording. During the 4 February 2025 sitting of the Upper House, he informed the President that he would do his research to find out who was responsible for the illegal recording.
Off course that’s out of order recording the dam lady all what she do
Government officials dislike getting caught doing wrong.
The sitting of parliament must be public record.
It’s a shame that members of the House discussing the people’s business would use that opportunity to go online focusing on something else! Madam Pierre should discipline her colleague rather than calling for investigation. The behavior demonstrates a lack of discipline.