The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

A LIVELY ending to yesterday morning’s House of Assembly sitting saw Free National Movement (FNM) members stand up and yell that democracy was being flouted.

The Official Opposition protested the governing party’s decision to shorten the debate on the bills, the Boat Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Water Skiing and Motor Boat Control (Amendment) Bill, saying they were not consulted.

 St Anne’s MP Adrian White and East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson contributed to the debate on the bill, but FNM leader Michael Pintard and deputy leader Shanendon Cartwright did not.

 After House Speaker Patricia Deveaux indicated that the sitting would be short, members of the Opposition stood up. They complained for more than ten minutes even as the House successfully passed both bills.

 “We felt that it was important that all of us put on the record those issues that members of the public have raised with us in order for us to raise with the government, and it is wrong and undemocratic,” Mr Pintard said in a press conference after the sitting. “No matter how slick they try to coach it, they are not supported by the rules of the Parliament, but more important, they are not supported by simple democratic principle.”

 National Security Minister Wayne Munroe addressed the matter at the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday, saying the Opposition likes to have its own way.

 “The leader of the opposition chose not to speak first or second,” he said. “His deputy leader chose not to speak first or second, and they chose to spend the majority of their time speaking about things other than the two bills we were debating.”

 Mr Munroe said the government has an “aggressive” legislative agenda. He said if there is “a matter of great substance,” all seven Opposition members would be allowed to speak. Otherwise, an equal number of governing party and Opposition members would be allowed to speak during a debate.