The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune

Great Britain has no written constitution. In other words, unlike the Bahamas, it has no system codified into one document.

It was made up of a number of things, the main being Laws passed by Parliament and adopted by Convention.

In 1972 Sir Lynden Pindling, Sir Roland Symonette, the Hon. A.D. Hanna, the Hon. Paul Adderley, Sir Stafford Sands, Sir Geoffrey Johnstone, the Hon Eugene Dupuch, QC, and others went to England to negotiate Independence for The Bahamas. They agreed to accept the British form of Government, namely the Westminster system.

I am shocked when I hear people laughing and joking and saying what is happening in The Bahamas today is not dishonest! They call me a fool (they may be correct), and say that my opinions are “sour grapes”, etc. Many say that I take a particular position because I don’t like somebody or, for some other weird reason.

To avoid using any Bahamian’s name, I will relate a true happening in the British Parliament and then let you, the Bahamian people, put the local names to the particular situation.

There was a man named Profumo in the British Parliament. He was Minister of Defence and had a sweetheart who turned out to be a Russian spy.

It was exposed in Parliament but Profumo insisted in Parliament that the accusation was not true. Harold Macmillan, who was Prime Minster at the time, believed his colleague and said in Parliament that the accusation was not true.

It was later proven that the accusation was indeed true and Profumo had lied to Parliament. He was forced to resign because he had lied to Parliament and was never allowed to run for Parliament again.

By backing Profumo in his lie the Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, had also lied to Parliament. He resigned, and his Party lost the next election.

You see, the British take their rules and Parliamentarian’s actions seriously. Lying to Parliament is a serious offence. It erodes Democracy. For the system to work you must insist on honesty in Parliament.

Yes, those are the rules. If you don’t like them, change them, but do not under any circumstances abuse them.

Now folks, you put the Bahamian names next to Profumo’s and Harold Macmillan’s and see what you come up with.

No, I didn’t make the rules. I’m only pointing out the rules to you. Sir Lynden, Sir Roland and company adopted the rules. Again if you don’t like them, change them. But in the meantime those are the rules. Live by them.

The other strict rule is most commonly called “insider trading”. This means that any Minister or Parliamentarian who has advance knowledge of an arrangement that gives him/her advantage over his/her competitor is conflicted.

Another example of conflict of interest is when a person is put on a committee, which enables them to effect the results or the conclusions of a position so as to make a personal profit from the transaction. This person is conflicted.

Who fits this hat? You name them. They’ve broken the rules. Now if you don’t like the rule change it, don’t abuse it.

I was once rightly told by a Minister, “I’ll have my say; Cabinet will have its way”. True, but be very sure that when “Cabinet has its way”, that it has not been arrived at to help an individual and not the people. Make sure that the “Cabinet’s way” does not break the rules and conventions. Make sure that “Cabinet’s way” has not been arrived at by either dishonesty or by not knowing the facts.

Just remember that when the paintbrush of public opinion paints, it takes large swipes. Make sure you’re not in front of the fan!

Mr Chipman, with his recent resignation from the FNM seems to have taken a moral stand. He has put people and principle before the Party.

Congratulations, Mr. Chipman you’re a man!!

PIERRE DUPUCH

Former MP

Nassau

October 24, 2019