Opposition MP apologises for misleading statement in National Assembly

The National Assembly on Thursday heard an apology from Opposition Member of Parliament, Maureen Philadelphia, after uttering untruths about the Ministry of Education in January.

During the 2024 budget debates and consideration of the estimates, the APNU+AFC parliamentarian, among other things, barefacedly proffered that there were teachers no longer attending the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) but still graduated without receiving any grades.

Those statements were challenged by the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand.

Following the assumption, Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon Manzoor Nadir, MP, asked the opposition member to provide the August House with evidence to match her statement.

No evidence has been provided to the National Assembly to date.

In fact, during the 81^st Sitting of the National Assembly, Speaker Nadir disclosed that the member of parliament had written him apologising.

MP Philadelphia also apologised to the National Assembly for her blatant, false claims.

“Mr Speaker good morning and I do want to say too that my email still stands and I do withdraw the comment,” she beseeched.

MP Philadelphia’s action is not the first incident where an opposition member was forced to withdraw an untruthful statement during a parliament sitting.

Meanwhile, the education ministry said it has achieved a historic milestone with 99 per cent of teachers being trained or are in training.

This is in keeping with the ministry’s plan to have 100 per cent trained teachers in the classroom.