The lower house descended into chaos today as members clashed over statements made by House Speaker Pearnel Charles Snr, regarding the Auditor General’s report on the Caribbean Maritime University (CMU).

The matter has been a contentious one since last week when opposition members expected the report to be tabled, but Charles chose not to table it, subsequent to which the report was leaked and its contents reported by some media houses.

When the house resumed sitting this afternoon, Mr. Charles requested that members refrain from discussing the report so as not to prejudice the court case involving former education minister Ruel Reid and CMU President Fritz Pinnock.

This did not go down well with the opposition members.

Opposition Leader Dr. Peter Phillips sought to find out what legal advice he relied on to come to this position.

This led to cross talk involving members on both sides of the aisle.

Attempts by the speaker to, as he put it, prevent a debate on the CMU issue, did not stop opposition members from asking questions.

Reverend Ronald Thwaites demanded to get a copy of the report, pointing out that it was already in the public domain.

When leader of government business Karl Samuda attempted to continue with the schedule for the day, a standoff ensued, with opposition members rising to their feet in a bid to pose more questions, but Mr. Samuda refused to yield.

Charles told the members that they will get the report today.

The MP’s eventually calmed down, that is, until Mr. Samuda made his statement as acting education minister, on the operations of the CMU, which led to another round of contentious cross talk.