Breaking News: Opposition Walks Out Of Jamaican Parliament

It was high drama this evening in the Jamaican Parliament when after a very spirited Budget Debate the Opposition led by Hon. Portia Simpson Miller decided after an apparent brief strategy meeting in Parliament Opposition Group decided to walk out of the House.

It was shocking to all especially Journalist in the Press Box who were of the view that all was on one accord and both sides of the House were heading to an uneventful conclusion of the 2017-18 Budget debate.

The Budget was eventually passed minus the Opposition and now awaits the Senate’s debate where it will not have any risk of being put in to law.

The Opposition meet with the Press after walking out of Parliament. Pressed for answers the Opposition Spokesman on Finance, Dr. Peter Phillips explained that the Opposition was not happy with the Tax Package and they could not idly sit by and ask the people to accept this package as presented by the Holness JLP administration.

The government through Finance Minister Audley Shaw explained that the budget was revenue neutral.  In other words this was just a re-balancing budget as no new taxes were being imposed.