BELMOPAN, Cayo District, Mon. Dec. 12, 2016–Rarely have parliamentarians of the ruling UDP-led government and the Opposition PUP shared a common position on any matter.

However, during Friday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Senior UDP parliamentarian Hon. Michael Finnegan loaned his support to senior PUP parliamentarian and former Prime Minister Said Musa, who appealed to the House Speaker, Michael Peyrefitte, to lift the suspension of Julius Espat who is presently prohibited from attending House of Representatives meetings.

In an exclusive interview with 7News, Finnegan clarified, “I think we are parliamentarians elected by the people. I think we should show magnanimity in all various ways and we must rise above the fray and how the whole situation happened back in August; man, in my view, it was unkind to the House of Representatives.”

While Espat remains a political opponent of the Barrow administration in which Finnegan is a high-ranking member, Finnegan emphasized, “I would never want to see another elected member of Parliament taken out the house by the security forces of this country, and even though you may disagree with the Speaker, you have got to show respect for the Chair.”

According to Finnegan, he wants Espat to return to the House because the people elected him.

“The people elected Mr. Espat to Parliament and he belongs in Parliament, and he must behave in a dignified manner that is conducive to Parliament,” said Finnegan.

While there are Opposition sympathizers who believe that Espat was suspended to keep him quiet, Finnegan exclaimed, “Man, that is foolishness. I would like to see him back tomorrow.”