Cathy Hughes’ laptop goes “missing” from National Assembly

Last Updated on Wednesday, 24 February 2021, 16:53 by Denis Chabrol

Opposition A Partnership for National Unity+Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) parliamentarian, Cathy Hughes’ laptop was Wednesday allegedly stolen from the Chamber of  the National Assembly located tentatively at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

House Speaker Manzoor Nadir called the incident a “very serious development” in the Centre’s Dome before giving Ms. Hughes an opportunity to relate what transpired. She said she packed up her laptop and her files in her briefcase and left them there before going to lunch.

“I opened my briefcase to take out my files and my laptop and my laptop was not there. I find this totally unacceptable,” she told the House.

The Speaker said he was very concerned at the occurrence as it has left all who are usually present in the Chamber “worried” and suggested that the sitting be adjourned and “literally search everyone”. Concerning accessing video footage, Mr. Nadir said the two cameras there “may not have been recording anything and they may not be operable.”

He said there were other “looking devices” in the dome and the police have been called in to probe the disappearance of the Apple laptop.  “This is certainly very disconcerning. I normally leave everything here on the desk too and I am worried,” he said.

Mr. Nadir believed that someone was keeping an eye on Ms. Hughes  before taking out the laptop from her briefcase.