Member of Parliament for St. George and Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation and Investment Michael Freeland has praised Senate President Alincia Williams-Grant for what he described as her “firm and necessary” handling of Tuesday’s parliamentary dispute involving Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle.

Pringle, the parliamentary representative for All Saints East and St. Luke, was ordered to leave the joint sitting of Parliament after Williams-Grant ruled that he had not fulfilled the constitutional requirement of taking the oath of allegiance before participating in the proceedings.

The issue emerged shortly after the sitting convened, prompting a delayed start while the Senate President addressed the matter before members of both Houses and invited guests.

Williams-Grant stated that the issue had been brought to her attention before proceedings began and that attempts were made to deal with it privately. However, she said Pringle still entered the chamber despite being aware of the situation.

“If the members in this house have not taken the oath, they should not be in this house. And I’m asking the honourable Jamal Pringle to remove himself, or I will have the sergeant-at-arms remove him,” Williams-Grant stated during the sitting.

Freeland defended the Senate President’s decision, saying parliamentary rules and constitutional procedures must be upheld regardless of political status.

“The Senate President acted appropriately and within the confines of the Constitution. No one is above the rules of Parliament, including the Leader of the Opposition,” Freeland said.

He criticized opposition members for what he described as an attempt to create unnecessary confrontation during a significant national event.

“This could have been avoided entirely had the Opposition ensured that all constitutional requirements were met beforehand. Instead, what the nation witnessed was political theatre at the expense of parliamentary order and respect for the institution,” Freeland added.

The minister also commended Williams-Grant for maintaining control of the chamber under what he described as difficult circumstances.

“She demonstrated leadership, discipline and courage in enforcing the rules without fear or favour. At the end of the day, Parliament cannot operate based on emotions or political pressure. It must operate according to law,” he said.

Following the ruling, Pringle exited the chamber alongside opposition senators in a move that later sparked criticism from United Progressive Party officials, who accused the Senate President of acting in a partisan manner.

Freeland dismissed those claims, arguing that constitutional obligations are clear and cannot be selectively enforced.

“The Constitution is not optional. The oath is a basic requirement for participation in parliamentary proceedings, and the Senate President was absolutely correct to insist that the law be respected,” he stated.