The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

STATE Minister Keith Bell criticised what he called the “irrational behaviour” of the FNM party, referring to the opposition’s parliament boycott.

Likening the boycott to a “contagious disease”, Mr Bell said he hopes an antidote is found so the party can return to parliament and do the people’s business.

Earlier this month, FNM parliamentarians – with the exception of Central and South Abaco MP Edison Key – decided not to attend parliament in solidarity with party leader Hubert Minnis, who was named in the House of Assembly and suspended for two sessions, before being escorted out by police.

“Historically this, as with parliaments around the world, would be on their summer recess at this time. But yet we are here, doing the people’s work,” Mr Bell said in the Senate yesterday.

“You know I saw with some astonishment the proceedings in another place where members decided to abandon their seats after disrupting the people’s work on multiple occasions.

“In seeing the proceedings, I thought it must have been some contagious disease and the irrational behaviour, a medical symptom.

“To my surprise, even here, the contagious disease which doctors seem to have not name or found a cure spread to these chambers causing her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition to not participate in this chamber’s proceedings.

“I really do hope that someone finds them an antidote so that the worst affected among them can return to rationality and do the people’s business.”