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The solemnity of mourning overwhelmed the Christ Church Cathedral on Thursday morning as Cabinet Minister Obediah Wilchcombe was laid to rest following his unexpected death as Minister of Social Services, Urban Development, Information and Broadcasting nearly two weeks ago.

As the coffin was transported to the church, a traditional procession of saddened parliamentarians and family members, marched behind the coffin, drawing scores of onlookers in a vast expression of grief and gratitude as they bade farewell to a man whose life as a public servant helped define journalism and politics in the country.

Prime Minister Philip Davis remembered the beginning of their friendship when Wilchcombe served as a rookie court reporter and Davis, a lawyer.

During his speech, he said Wilchcombe, who once served as Tourism Minister in Perry Christie’s administration, was “surprised” when he was given the portfolio for Social Services in 2021 when the Davis administration won the election. Since the governing party’s ministerial swap last month, Davis remembered Wilchcombe was “full of enthusiasm” when Broadcasting and Information were added to his portfolio.

Opposition Leader Michael Pintard remembered his smile and style, and praised him for easing the tension in the House of Assembly during fierce debates.

During a career that began in 1994, Wilchcombe served as a senator before serving in his ministerial posts.

It appeared he suffered health challenges over the years. He was 64.

Photo credit: The Free National Movement, Oracle Media Consultants

In a surprising move in the House of Assembly today, House Speaker Halson Moultrie suspended the House session, setting a new date for parliamentarians to meet after the clerk tested positive for COVID-19.

But before adjourning the House, he openly rebuked Prime Minister Hubert Minnis and Government Business Leader Renward Wells for permitting the House to meet despite the positive case among staff and the parliament not being sanitized before meeting.

Moultrie said he reached out to both Minnis and Wells to determine if House should still meet today, and determine the measures staff should take, only to receive a message from Minnis saying, “noted.”

Another staffer, who Moultrie said should have been in quarantine, Asharan Lightbourne was “called upon to be here this morning, in breach of the request or the instruction of the speaker that [she] should be in quarantine,” he said.

The big picture

Since the advent of COVID-19, Moultrie has been calling on the government to pass a resolution to meet in hybrid form or virtually to prevent chances of more parliamentarians from contracting the virus. But those calls were not adhered to.

Why it matters

A staff member tested positive for the virus. Though not identified, it is believed to be the chief clerk as he was noticeably absent today. The Speaker described the staffer as the “closest person to him in the House.”

The staffer came to work on Monday and Tuesday showing symptoms of the virus, but returned home early after not feeling well. However, came back to work last week Wednesday when parliamentarians met.

His positive diagnosis was revealed yesterday.

What Moultrie is saying

Moultrie said parliament is in breach of its own order. “This is my final straw when it comes to the disrespect of the speaker. According to the rules, when the behaviour of a member is creating disorder, the speaker is authorized by rule 88, subsection 9 to adjourn the parliament until the circumstance is fixed,” he said.

“I don’t pick fights or wars, but if you want war, you will get a war. If you don’t want a war, don’t start one.”

Referencing Minnis who earlier stated that he read a book on wars, Moultrie continued, “So don’t come in this parliament talking about reading books of war. More than one person in this parliament read books of war.”

State of play

Because of the adjournment by Moultrie, the next session of the House will be May 3 at 10 am.