Quiet day for Mia

FORMER OPPOSITION Leader Mia Mottley quietly took her seat in the House of Assembly  at 11:55 a.m. yesterday, an hour and a half after the start of the morning session.
But it was not her usual place at the top of the Opposition benches. She sat at the very last seat and made no acknowledgement to her already seated colleagues: Owen Arthur, who replaced her as leader on Monday, Dale Marshall and George Payne; and neither did they acknowledge her arrival.
Member of Parliament for St Thomas Cynthia Forde, who walked in with Mottley, sat in the seat above her and the two could be seen engaged in animated discussion.
There were four empty seats between the two women and their three seated colleagues.
Minister of Health Donville Inniss was the only member on the Government side who appeared to exchange friendly pleasantries with the two women.
Five minutes later, Opposition member for St Michael North Ronald Toppin briskly made his way to his seat walking behind the two women. Twenty minutes later member for St James North Rawle Eastmond took his seat next to Forde and immediately began conversing with her and Mottley.
Christ Church West MP Dr William Duguid followed shortly after and he gently patted both Mottley and Forde on the back before sitting next to Toppin.
A few minutes later, St George North MP Gline Clarke made a beeline for his seat next to Payne.
Throughout the session, Arthur could be seen in crosstalk and laughing with Minister of Transport and Works John Boyce.
At one point, the newly appointed Opposition Leader held a private conference for several minutes behind the Speaker’s chair, with newly appointed Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler.
Apart from the usual asides and snide remarks, which were directed mainly at Duguid after he lambasted the Government during debate on the Public Enterprise Investment Fund, the House was devoid of any major drama.
Earlier in the session, a letter was read to the House from Governor General Sir Clifford Husbands, informing that Arthur was appointed Leader of the Opposition with effect from October 18 and that Mottley’s appointment in that post had been revoked.