THE House of Assembly has been adjourned until August following attempts by FNM Leader Hubert Minnis to address Parliament this morning.
Dr Minnis had vowed to speak today despite being told by the House Speaker last Wednesday that he wouldn’t be allowed to speak in Parliament again until he withdrew comments he had made about Prime Minister Perry Christie’s relationship with Lyford Cay millionaire Peter Nygard.
Dr Minnis vowed over the weekend to speak today, saying he was the Leader of the Opposition and would represent his party and his constituents.
When PLP Minister Shane Gibson rose to speak shortly after the House gathered this morning, Dr Minnis also stood up and shouted that it was a shame what the government was doing to democracy.
House Speaker Dr Kendal Major repeatedly warned Dr Minnis that his contribution would not be allowed and that he was testing the patience of the Speaker.
Dr Minnis attempted to read something into the record before the House was suspended.
When it came back, a motion was passed to adjoun its sitting until August 7.
Comments
JohnDoes 10 years, 9 months ago
Truly an embarrassment for the FNM. These new leaders are something else, and something that is very hard to get used to. We need Papa back!
TalRussell 10 years, 9 months ago
Is the Speaker planning on jailing Queen's Liz's official opposition leader?
nationbuilder 10 years, 9 months ago
this is ridiculous. this guy is intentionally breaking house rules and then wants people to support him doing it.
TalRussell 10 years, 9 months ago
Mr. Speaker wasn't it Sir Stafford's regime who held power when Chief Magistrate Baily read the Riot Act, which resulted in the arrest of the then official leader Lynden Pindling? How wrong this Comrade has been all along, having thought it was only the red shirts who sounded and acted like them UBP House Speaker Bobby Symonette? Who would have guessed the golds would one day treat the opposition as their sworn enemies. Mr. PLP Speaker ... Imprisonment ... really?
by TalRussell
bahamianadvocate 10 years, 9 months ago
Dr. Hubert Minnis is not fit to be leader of the opposition because he simply does not know what it means to lead a party. The FNM's leader should not oppose every single thing the PLP implements are 'try' to implement. Stem Cells is a new challenge in which the government collectively should come together and try to regulate. Dr. Minnis should not be shooting everything down and claiming that PLP don't know how to regulate it. Instead he should be using his ability (as a Doctor) to suggest ways of regulating it. Honestly Hubert Minnis should be ashamed of himself and should resign as leader. HE DOES NOT KNOW HIS DUTY AS LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION. HE IS FOR FNM AND NOT FOR THE BAHAMIAN PLP.
ohdrap4 10 years, 9 months ago
Ah , but not the PLP. The PLP is for all Bahamians, Peter Nygard included.
bahamianadvocate 10 years, 9 months ago
Was a mistake, Bahamian people***
TalRussell 10 years, 9 months ago
Maybe the Speaker can cut to the chase and order that both the PM and leader of the official opposition to reveal whom and what amounts of monies have been received by their respective political parties? Bahamaland's natives await the Speaker's new hunt for the real who got's what monies truth. You simply cannot silence the leader of the opposition, regardless if they sporting red or gold shirts. Treading even more dangerously than anything Papa Hubert had dared try on the natives.
Collin 10 years, 9 months ago
That was no mistake it was Freudian slip; that is exactly what you think bahamianadvocate. The Speaker was wrong last week and folded to the dictates of the governing party and BJ Nottage in particular. You can spin how you want it that is a fact.
If Perry and for that matter the PLP cabinet has not resign for being thus far the worst government ever (even worse than 2002-2007) why should Hon. Minnis? In the last incarnation of Parliament he was voted time and time again as the best MP. He is growing as a leader and stood toe to toe with Christie last week. Resulting in Hon. Christie crying and throwing his cabinet colleagues that were in the video under the bus.
The PLP breaks the rules of the house at every sitting, as an example getting up with pointless points of order and then the incompetent Speaker allowing them to give mini speeches. I will admit he has tightened up some until this major mistake.
Hon. Minnis is a far better leader than Hon. Christie who is proving to be a lousy PM once again.
Hon. Minnis is not oppose to stem cell, he does not believe we have the regime to be able to provide the proper protection to the patience and the Bahamas. I hear the emotive argument some wish to make about we can do anything and I certainly believe that. However, that does not mean we will put in place the regulatory infrastructure to PROPERLY monitor and POLICE the industry.
Why has no PLP spoken to this? All they say is we have in place this and that now. So whatever they pass will be covered. Really? Is abortion legal? If not, how is this possible with all of the regulations we have now? Dealing with stem cell is significantly more complex than abortion, but a PLP MP stated that we are having all kinds of unregulated illegal abortions.
So either PLP MP and the good Dr. Sands are wrong with abortions or they along with the rest of the PLP MPs are giving the Bahamian people a 6 for a 9.
So run on with all the non sense you wish but only your base is buying it.
bahamianadvocate 10 years, 9 months ago
Collin, Collin, Collin... Your response to my statement showed that you have COMPLETELY misunderstood what I was proposing. The fact is that Dr. Minnis is objectifying Stem Cell Research based on the fact that the Bahamas government (including himself) are incapable of regulating an industry. We as Bahamians have qualified people who can make proper regulatory decisions as we did with tourism and banking and finance in which we are leaders in the Caribbean. Dr Minnis should not make this bill about his objections (which he clearly did today). His actions PROVED that he is incapable of leadership. I agree with you in that Dr. Majors' actions were not just, however Dr. Minnis ' behavior is far that of strong party leader. He may HAVE BEEN a good minister of health but would never be a good prime minister and definitely not as good as Perry Christie despite his screw ups.
spoitier 10 years, 9 months ago
His actions only prove what is wrong with democracy, haven't you notice that in every democratic country the opposition disagree with the government in almost everything? I admit that it is wrong, however, he is only doing what the PLP did while the FNM was in power and what the Republican was and still is doing in the United States.
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 9 months ago
I did not see the footage, so I went back to see if I could find exactly what Dr Minnis said to determine whether he had cause or not. The only reference I could find was a statement that he would table an affidavit in the House this week. All other comments were removed from the record apparently. At this point as far as I know, Dr Minnis may have just attempted to throw the Mace out the window! In 40yrs he may have an airport named after him. (Until I get more info)
Today's Tribune editorial hits the nail on the head on this stem cell issue. Madame Editor is actual speaking to the uproar Nygard is causing among Lyford Cay residents with his proposal to build the stem cell facility in an area zoned strictly residential. She mentions the developer of Lyford Cay, Mr Taylor, who originally cut out what is now Nygard's Cay for himself. Apparently, he did not put the same restrictive covenants over Nygards Cay that he placed over Lyford Cay. Madame Editor says ..Mr Taylor could never have anticipated a Peter Nygard who would want to change all that... ("change" referring to the introduction of a commercial site)
and that is the point Prime Minister Christie, Deputy Prime Minister Davis, Dr Sands, Loretta Butler-Turmer, Shane Gibson, Alfred Grey.
Some of us are up in arms about Peter Nygard in this moment, but worse than Nygard could be waiting in the wings. Waiting to take advantage of the holes in slipshod legislation. Have you done your due diligence to ensure that this Speedy Gonzalez legislation has considered all potential risks? To another point, while Dr Brown may be an honest man and Dr Sands may be an honest man, and Dr Gomez may be an honest man (though I do question his judgement on the self medicating needle in stomach thing), I would not leave the decision to any of them. They all seem to have a financial interest in the legislation going forward. You need opposing voices on these weighty decisions. Its good sense in general and it makes for good planning.
hnhanna 10 years, 9 months ago
I just want to remind the Bahamian People Corruption is the hallmark of the PLP.
Collin 10 years, 9 months ago
Bahamian advocate, Bahamian advocate, Bahamian advocate... You made an interesting point and that is we as Bahamians excel in the social sciences and thus are the leaders in the Caribbean; thanks, for that reminder.
The challenge is stem cell is in the field of natural sciences. We have some very brilliant people who excel in this arena, but I am sure you know that most of us abhor math. Thus, we are not leaders in this area.
I again make this point we are capable of doing anything else that anyone else can do and in many instance better. However, what are we generally most challenged culturally to do? Care to take a guess - maintenance, monitoring and enforcement. Does this say anything about our inability or does it speak to our lax nature and unwillingness to follow up?
Here lies the issue with regard to stem cell. It is not about ability it is about the discipline and again the regulatory infrastructure(not the regulations themselves).
ThisIsOurs 10 years, 9 months ago
Good point
JohnDoes 10 years, 9 months ago
I think we can cut Suh Eddie a 'lil' slack because he did make a valid point in a statement saying that he hopes this has not just become top priority since Nygard's alleged contribution. Was this even outlined in the national plan/manifesto/agenda ?
Stapedius 10 years, 9 months ago
You know what though its not a party thing. I believe Minnis is the wrong choice for the FNM as I believe Christie is wrong for the PLP. We really need to get beyond this cult like attitude towards leadership. Hubert Minnis just isn't the man to take the FNM forward. I mean give us some good choices in leadership between these parties. Ever heard the song 'Stuck in the middle with you?' It says 'clowns to my left jokers to my right, stuck in the middle with you.'
john33xyz 10 years, 9 months ago
When the FNM was in power they threw Glennys Hanna Martin out the House for wanting to talk about the boy who was found hung by his own belt in the police station.
Now they want to speak whenever they want to.
They gave the excuse back then that the rules of the House were the same ones they met in place, and they would entertain any motion to change them by the opposition PLP.
No motion was forthcoming.
However, for Minnis to claim democracy is in jeopardy is crazy. The FNM could have played hard ball back then for a few months to make a point - BUT THEN they should have changed the rules to allow members of parliament to speak in turn on scheduled times on whatever subject they see fit within time limits etc.
The fact of the matter is, and i wonder how many citizens know this, that YOUR MP cannot represent YOU. He/She is NOT allowed to speak (on your behalf) unless they get permission from someone else.
That is not democracy - that is dictatorship or monarchy.
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