Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has come to the defence of Speaker of the House of Assembly Joseph Isaac, dismissing criticism over the Speaker’s appearance at a Dominica Labour Party political meeting and maintaining that it does not compromise his ability to preside fairly over Parliament.
The issue has attracted public discussion following Joseph Isaac’s participation in a political event introducing the Dominica Labour Party’s candidate for the Roseau North by-election. Critics have questioned whether the Speaker’s involvement is consistent with the impartiality expected of the office.
Responding during his monthly press conference, Skerrit argued that the Speaker’s constitutional responsibilities should be judged by how he conducts proceedings inside the House of Assembly rather than by appearances outside Parliament.
“When you look at Honourable Joseph Isaac‘s engagement in the House of Assembly, there is nobody in Dominica who can say that he has not exercised his authority with fairness, with impartiality and with great objectivity,” the Prime Minister said.
Skerrit pointed out that Dominica’s Constitution permits a Speaker to be either an elected Member of Parliament or someone chosen from outside the House. He said this constitutional arrangement recognises that a Speaker may have political associations while still being expected to administer parliamentary business impartially.
He also encouraged members of the public to examine the official parliamentary record, arguing that the Hansard demonstrates Joseph Isaac’s consistent and balanced approach to managing debates and applying parliamentary rules.
The Prime Minister noted that there were occasions when government members themselves felt the Speaker had ruled against them, but said he accepted those decisions out of respect for the independence of the legislature.
“There are times that I have felt that the Speaker has been hard on the government side, but I have always respected the separation of powers,” Skerrit stated.
According to Skerrit, participation on a political platform does not automatically undermine a Speaker’s neutrality. He argued that history has shown examples of Speakers who avoided public political events but were still accused of displaying political bias while presiding in Parliament.
He maintained that what ultimately matters is whether the Speaker administers parliamentary proceedings fairly, consistently and in accordance with the Standing Orders and the Constitution.
The Prime Minister said he remains confident in Joseph Isaac’s ability to continue fulfilling the responsibilities of Speaker with professionalism and impartiality, adding that public confidence should be based on the Speaker’s conduct in the House rather than assumptions arising from political appearances.
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