Barbados Prime Minister Rescinds Appointment of Deputy House Speaker Amid Legal Issues

Prime Minister Mia Mottley says the decision to rescind the appointment of Deputy House Speaker Neil Rowe, who will face the High Court on a rape charge, will allow him to deal with the matter and removes Parliament from being embroiled in the private issues of a member.

She also made clear that Rowe who represents the constituency of St Michael North West will remain an MP.

“In this case, there is no consideration whatsoever of anything other than the Deputy Presiding Officer of the Parliament of Barbados being involved in a private matter. It is a judgement of all of us, that he be allowed the time to allow himself to deal with this matter, and indeed to be able to ensure that his assertion of innocence is capable of being pursued. By the same token, while that is going on and he be given all of the space to do that, we have to ensure that the public business of the Parliament of Barbados, and by extension, as an arm of the Government of Barbados, can continue without, as I said, being embroiled in the private issues of a particular member,” she said, pointing out that this is the third instance where a Deputy Speaker of the House has faced legal issues.

“There is no issue of his representation as an MP. That is a member for the people of St Michel North West that was settled. And indeed, that is not an issue in this matter at all.”

Parliament today approved Rowe’s removal and gave the green light for St Thomas MP Cynthia Forde to be appointed.

Last September, Magistrate Deidre McKenna ordered that Rowe stand trial before the High Court on the charge that he had sexual intercourse with a woman on September 18, 2022, without her consent or was reckless as to whether she consented.

Read the full story in Tuesday’s Epaper.