President Urges parliament to Show Greater Sense of Magnanimity

The President of Dominica His Excellency Dr Nicholas Liverpool has called on members of parliament to be scrupulous in their conduct in the proceedings of parliament.

His remarks came on the heels of a decision by the Opposition United Workers Party to boycott this morning’s proceedings.

Dr. Liverpool told the first sitting of the seventh session of Parliament this morning, that “since there is no Leader of the Opposition and the elected members who do not support the government have not taken their seats, this places an additional burden on you…and to also bear in mind that the population expects an even greater sense of magnanimity, responsibility and good judgment that would otherwise remain,” he said.

“Constitutionally and also by convention, the leader of the Opposition enjoys a status which enables that person to have a say in many matters of state and this also carries the expectation that the Prime Minister will consult him from time to time on important matters of national concern,” he said.

The President said however, if an occasion arises when no person is qualified and willing to accept appointment as leader of the Opposition; the constitution empowers the President to act on his own deliberate judgment on any matter in which he is required to act on the advice of, or after consultation with the leader of the Opposition.