The Tribune

PLP MP for Tall Pines Leslie Miller clarified remarks attributed to him during the 2012 election campaign, in which he was portrayed as calling black Bahamians "stupid".

Speaking in the House of Assembly last week, Mr Miller said his comments were taken out of context as he was speaking at the time about the previous debate over liquefied natural gas (LNG) and how some members of society preferred to listen to others of a "lighter hue".

"What I did say on a radio station was that even though Dr Marcus Bethel, who at that time was the Minister responsible for the Environment, and all of the consultants that participated on the LNG project - the experts - some Bahamians preferred to listen to what I call wheelchair environmentalists who made statements that were untrue, unfounded, and they believed them.

"I might have said that is how stupid some of those people are.

"They don't believe the experts, but they believe a person because of the hue, the colour of their skin. That is what I remember saying.

"But I was ridiculed as many of my other colleagues were ridiculed during the campaign.

"In one instance I was called a 'tief' along with a few other of my colleagues.

"And other names were called and of course I got tired of it and I decided to fight back. I trust that in this chamber Mr Speaker, I would not have to do so.

"But I just wanted to set the record straight and say it now, that the people's potcake is now reporting for duty," he said.