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| Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert |
According to the source, The Speaker of The House put some boxes in an area where there was garbage, and where the NSWMA normally collects garbage from. When cautioned by the officer, it is said that Mrs. Dalrymple-Philibert apologized to the officer and explained that she was not aware that garbage was not to go there. She subsequently removed the boxes from the area.
I understand that she was detained at the Runaway Police Station for approximately three hours. She will will face the charges in the court.
There was an incident between a Minister and a police officer recently in St. Catherine, and I suggested then that we need to have a protocol for dealing with officials of the state who come into conflict with the law. No one is above the law but we cannot allow officials of the state to be arrested like that. It is possible that one of these days we could hear that a number of Cabinet members have been arrested and the business of the state has to come to an halt.
I am suggesting that where a member of parliament, a member of the senate or even a judge commits certain offences then we should use the ticketing system to charge them. If it is a very serious offence, then application should be made to the Governor General for example for that person to be suspended from public office until the matter is dealt with. Under no condition should members of the security forces have the right to arrest leaders of the state like that. One of these days someone is going to lock up the Prime Minister for breaking the law and that could put the country in a very awkward situation.
Contrary to information being circulated via social media, the Speaker is not in lock-up at this time. I understand that it was an humiliating experience for the Speaker to be detained by the police for over three hours at the police station. She was thoroughly interrogated I have been informed.
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