Energy Minister Stuart Young has been spared from being placed before the Parliament’s Privileges Committee for comments he made in last week’s sitting towards Opposition Leader Kamla Persad Bissessar.

At Thursday’s sitting, Young was reprimanded by House Speaker Brigid Annisette-George, who described his comments as reprehensible and diminishing of the Parliament’s dignity. 

“Honourable Members, it matters not that the Member for Port-of-Spain North/St. Ann’s West was not directly making a contribution. It matters not that those deplorable words were uttered sotto voce but unwittingly captured by an open microphone. It matters not that the utterances of the Member for Port-of-Spain North/St. Ann’s West were not captured by Hansard,” Annisette-George stated. 

She continued, “The incontrovertible fact is that those remarks which may have been intended to be inaudible in certain parts of the Chamber, have now been heard across the country, as a reflection of the Members of this House, and in particular the Member for Port-of-Spain North/St. Ann’s West. A reflection that diminishes the dignity of this House and, in particular the Member”.

Young then delivered a formal apology to the House, a day after issuing an apology online.