A heated debate over Grenada’s 1.91 billion EC dollar budget descended into chaos, with
the opposition alleging a serious procedural breach. The controversy erupted after Finance Minister Dennis Cornwall attempted to close the debate, a move former Prime Minister and current opposition MP, Dr. Keith Mitchell, deemed a violation of parliamentary rules. Dr. Mitchell accused Speaker Leo Cato of failing to uphold the rules of the house, stating that Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell was effectively running the parliament. He further claimed that the government’s actions, specifically the attempt to close the debate, disregarded parliamentary procedure and demonstrated a lack of humility. The opposition argued that the Finance Minister’s move to close the debate, just as Dr. Mitchell was taking the floor, violated Section 40 of the standing orders. This led to a walkout by the opposition, escalating tensions surrounding the budget deliberations.