Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle has raised concerns over public access to Parliament after members of the public were asked to leave the building following the postponement of a scheduled Public Accounts Committee (PAC) meeting.

Pringle, who was at Parliament to explain the reasons behind the delay, apologised to the Clerk of Parliament, acknowledging that no official permission had been granted for the group’s presence inside the chamber on the day the meeting was called off.

“What Madam Clerk is saying is that no permission was given, and the meeting was postponed, so no one should have been in the gallery of the Parliament,” Pringle said during an interview.

“I do apologise to the Clerk of Parliament… We are law-abiding citizens and we will respect the Parliament.”

The PAC meeting was postponed due to a lack of quorum and rescheduled for July 3. Pringle said he only learned of the postponement upon arriving at the Parliament building.

“I came to let the public know the reasons behind the postponement… and I expect for that meeting to happen on the 3rd of July,” he said, inviting the public to attend the rescheduled meeting and observe the work of the committee tasked with overseeing government spending.

Questions were raised during the interview about whether the public should require prior approval to attend meetings of such importance. “Once the Parliament is closed, you need permission to enter the Parliament,” Pringle explained, echoing the Clerk’s position.

Another speaker, also present during the interview, expressed frustration: “They take away access to our beaches… Are they taking away the Parliament building from us too? It’s the people’s Parliament.”

The PAC, chaired by the Opposition, plays a key role in ensuring transparency and accountability in government finances. The next meeting is now expected to take place on July 3, with renewed calls for public participation.