The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Report

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

HOUSE Speaker Dr Kendal Major said yesterday that parliamentarians should be ashamed of themselves after an investigation revealed that at least one government MP was responsible for taking and spreading an “unflattering” photo of two opposition members who appeared to be asleep during a previous session.

His unusual address came two weeks after he shut down Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn for attempting to complain that government members had snapped and circulated the photos in question.

At the time, Dr Major believed Mr Lightbourn’s concerns were without merit and he told him to have a seat and to not return to the House with such allegations.

However, he said yesterday: “I had the opportunity to examine two of the photos and that of others (that were taken). My first response was shock and dismay. As it turns out, the member for Montagu was correct. My investigation was conclusive and strongly suggested that a government member took the unflattering photos of two opposition members, then blasted them through the electronic (arena) for public consumption.”

Dr Major said his investigation of the matter was substantive, involving an examination of his own “cell phone, Facebook uploads, the angles and positioning of the cell phone camera and the assessment of the members who were present in the chamber.”

He added: “I also investigated the involvement of any accomplices from the public that may have been involved or present in the House that day. The results of our investigations were telling. It turns out that a young man was in fact present in the gallery during the sitting. His Facebook page included the pictures with captions added. I summoned him to my office and learnt that he indeed did receive five to seven photos showing what appeared to be two opposition members sleeping. Immediately after he received them, he downloaded them, uploaded them for maximum exposure and placed a caption on them before blasting them into cyber space. The angles and positioning of the cell phone cameras gives conclusive evidence that the pictures emanated from two positions on the back row of the side of the government members. This determination is incontrovertible. The young man who visited the House admitted that he aided and abetted in this churlish and unauthorised act. He has since apologised for his actions.”

Dr Major called the matter a “gross violation of parliamentary code of conduct”, adding that it represented a “profound breach of trust and by extension our code of conduct”.

“Actions like these undermine public confidence in all of us as members,” he said. “They desecrate the sanctity of the Parliament.”

He did not identify which MP took the photos in question. When he spoke in the House during yesterday’s afternoon session, Mr Lightbourn thanked the Speaker for reversing his previous position on the matter and said it is disappointing that the person/s responsible for taking and spreading the photos had not acknowledged that he or she did so.

The photos, which were shared on Facebook, showed Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner and East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest who appeared to be asleep during a House of Assembly session two weeks ago.

Dr Major had previously released a notice to the media warning the press against publishing photos of seated parliamentarians. Only a parliamentarian who has the floor can be photographed.