The speaker of the House of Assembly was forced to put the legislature into recess yesterday after 18-year-old Chelsie Coombs repeatedly shrieked from the gallery. Later Coombs claimed that Newfoundland and Labrador had failed her, as the healthcare sytem has been unable to treat her rare neuropathic pain disorder. Premier Kathy Dunderdale met Coombs and her family outside of the house, however the meeting was less than pleasant. The issue has been ongoing between the Coombs family and Eastern Health, and Health Minister Jerome Kennedy had already been involved in the matter, leading Dunderdale to state that Thursday’s incident was unnecessary. Defending Chelsie are her mother and her brother Kurtis – who is known to the province as the 19-year old in 2009 who was briefly declared Mayor of Paradise.
