PHILIPSBURG--National Alliance (NA) has submitted a new request for a Parliament meeting to examine the lawfulness of Member of Parliament (MP) Jules James voting on an NA motion that specifically had named him.

The new request was submitted two days after NA requested that a pending meeting on the same subject be cancelled due to an illness in the NA "family."

President of Parliament Gracita Arrindell confirmed that the party, headed by MP William Marlin, had submitted a new meeting request to discuss the motion; its position why James of the United People's (UP) party should not have been allowed to vote on the November 17, 2011, motion; Governor Eugene Holiday's letter to Parliament of December 5 on the issue; and Arrindell's (UP) reactions to the Governor's letter.

The meeting, based on the Rules of Order of Parliament, will be called within 14 days.

The first meeting on these topics was scheduled for January 24. It had to be called off due to no quorum. Only seven MPs – five NA, one UP and one independent – were present, whereas at least eight MPs were needed to constitute a quorum.

Other MPs of the UP/Democratic Party (DP)/Illidge coalition did not show up for the meeting due to issues involving UP fraction leader Romain Laville.

MP Leroy de Weever (DP) was the only MP absent with notice from the January 24 meeting.

A second meeting on the topic was called for January 31, but was cancelled at NA's request. This warranted a new request being submitted to Parliament if NA still wanted to pursue the matter and this was submitted on February 1.

MP Louie Laveist (NA) had told The Daily Herald that the party intended to pursue the matter because James' vote "violates the Constitution and we intend to address it at a later date."