House Speaker orders Andre Rollins to leave chamber

Tensions erupted in the House of Assembly following a heated exchange between Speaker Patricia Deveaux and Long Island Member of Parliament Dr. Andre Rollins, which ended with the Speaker repeatedly ordering the Opposition MP to leave the Lower Chamber.

However, the Long Island MP refused to budge despite the Speaker issuing the directive three times.

As the exchange intensified, Deveaux accused Rollins of being “grossly disrespectful,” prompting him to question why he was being asked to leave.

“Why are you asking me to leave?” Rollins questioned.

The Opposition MP subsequently asked the Speaker whether she was naming him, to which Deveaux responded: “Now I can name you because now you are grossly being disrespectful.”

The tense standoff drew the attention of security personnel, with two police officers seen standing near Rollins as the confrontation continued.

Before police could intervene and escort him out, Exumas and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper rose to his feet and requested that the House be suspended for five minutes.

The request was quickly seconded, bringing a temporary halt to the proceedings and preventing the confrontation from escalating further.

The latest disagreement adds to a series of public clashes between Deveaux and Rollins in the House of Assembly in recent months. Their exchanges have repeatedly drawn attention during parliamentary sittings.