The Tribune

By JADE RUSSELL.

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

AFTER Free National Movement leader Michael Pintard said he would summon senior civil servants before the Public Accounts Committee, press secretary Clint Watson said yesterday parliamentarians will deal with the matter if it arises.

On Wednesday, Mr Pintard called a special meeting at FNM headquarters following the House of Assembly being suspended to February 20. Mr Pintard had chastised government for avoiding the question-and-answer period in Parliament.

During the FNM meeting, Mr Pintard said starting next week the opposition, through the Public Accounts Committee, will call the permanent secretaries and heads of public corporations to answer questions raised by the Bahamian people.

“If it happens, people in parliament will address that issue. And they’ll address it from the floor of the House of Assembly so Bahamians will have that on record,” Mr Watson told reporters at the press briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday.

Mr Watson noted the earlier uproar in the House of Assembly on Wednesday.

He added that the leader of government business, Obie Wilchcombe, has previously said they are prepared to answer questions when the House reconvenes.

“The leader of government business, has already said that they’re prepared to answer (the) questions when the House reconvenes.”

Mr Watson continued: “So I think that’ll hopefully satisfy. Again, a lot of the questions that have been put on the table to be asked, at some point, have come up with some of the answers.

“But I understand that they want to have them in detail. And so, the minister responsible, who is, of course, the leader of government business, has said they will address those questions.”

Meanwhile, Mr Pintard during his meeting blasted the Davis administration as he accused them of being “undemocratic”.

Mr Pintard stressed that he has tried continuously to have discussions with the government.

“I want the Bahamian people to know that we have tried every conceivable way to engage in mature conversation with a government that said they would be ready on day one and they’ve proven over and over again, they are unwilling to be democratic, they are unwilling to consult with the opposition in the same way they have been unwilling to consult with various private sector groups even when they are making decisions that could dismantle the lives of various Bahamian businesspersons,” he said at the FNM meeting.

Mr Pintard said they have written to the Prime Minister about many national issues and offered recommendations, suggesting there has been little to no response.

Prior to Mr Pintard’s special meeting the House of Assembly was suspended after a screaming match erupted when Mr Pintard criticised government for avoiding parliament’s question-and-answer period in Parliament.

Shortly after House proceedings began, Mr Pintard questioned government MPs as to whether they intended to honour its commitment to allow for question time.

However, Mr Wilchcombe told parliamentarians he had informed Mr Pintard that the government intended to lay several bills and adjourn proceedings until February 20.

He said when they returned on that date, the government would answer questions posed by the opposition.

Mr Pintard did not accept this explanation, saying he was assured that Parliament would proceed with question time during Wednesday’s sitting.