Brown Burke’s attorneys demand apology, compensation from parliamentary leaders

Attorneys representing Member of Parliament (MP) for St Andrew South Western, Dr Angela Brown Burke, have written to three parliamentary leaders demanding that they apologise for public comments they made last week following an incident inside the House of Representatives after the sitting was adjourned.

The letters were addressed to House Speaker Juliet Holness, Senate President Tom Tavares-Finson and Deputy Senate President Charles Sinclair and were delivered to Gordon House on Tuesday.

"Your statement constitute a most damaging and offensive libel upon our client as it suggests that she was party to termagant like behaviour, which is not only uncharacteristic, but plainly untrue," said the letter from the law firm Chen Green & Company.

The attorneys demanded that Holness, Tavares-Finson and Sinclair each write a letter containing a "suitable withdrawal and apology in terms to be approved by us on behalf of our client".

They also demanded that the three undertake, in writing, not to repeat allegations that Brown Burke "physically assaulted" Holness and pay "an appropriate" sum to compensate the People's National Party's St Andrew South Western MP for "the serious injury to her reputation".

"We must ask you to let us have your reply within ten days of the date of this letter as a matter of utmost urgency," said the letters seen by The Gleaner.

The legal action follows a heated confrontation in Parliament on November 3, after the sitting of the House of Representatives was adjourned following a contentious debate on the Government's decision to abstain from a United Nations resolution calling for an end to the United States embargo against Cuba.

Following the adjournment, Brown Burke, Opposition MP Mikael Phillips and members of the Government benches were reportedly involved in two separate incidents, amid heightened tensions between Government and Opposition parliamentarians.

The incidents prompted calls from Government members and other political figures for disciplinary action against Phillips and Brown Burke. Among those calling for sanctions were Tavares-Finson and Sinclair.

The controversy further strained relations between the Government and Opposition, following earlier disagreements over the Speaker's handling of proceedings in the House.

The November 3 confrontation also prompted Holness to invite Leader of Opposition Business Phillip Paulwell and Leader of Government Business Floyd Green to a meeting to discuss tensions in Parliament. The meeting was scheduled for Monday, November 9.

- Livern Barrett

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