The Tribune

By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY Prime Minister Chester Cooper blasted the opposition’s actions in the House of Assembly last Wednesday as “embarrassing” and “disgraceful”, though he stopped short of calling for legal repercussions, saying House Speaker Patricia Deveaux will deliberate consequences.

“I hope that whatever consequences is available to the Speaker, that she would deliberate and make those decisions as to what she wishes to do,” he said.

“These are persons who served more than five years in Parliament. They know the rules, and they determined willfully that they would defy those rules.”

The deputy prime minister outlined several offences he said the opposition committed during the heated parliamentary session, accusing members of defying the Speaker’s instructions and violating the mace, a key symbol of parliamentary authority. St Barnabas MP Shanendon Cartwright threw the mace out of a window over frustration with the Speaker’s failure to indicate whether FNM leader Michael Pintard would be allowed to address explosive allegations contained in a US federal indictment. Mr Cooper also said opposition members resisted police intervention and highlighted injuries an on-duty police officer and Deputy House Speaker Sylvanus Petty reportedly sustained during the altercation.

Mr Cooper said the Opposition’s actions mimicked history, referencing Black Tuesday on April 27, 1965, when then Opposition leader Lynden Pindling threw the ceremonial mace out of the House of Assembly window; that act was a protest against gerrymandering by the ruling United Bahamian Party (UBP) and served as a pivotal moment in the fight for majority rule.

“This crew of actors decided to put on a performance to mimic a blockbuster movie of the past,” Mr Cooper said, emphasising the historical significance of Sir Lynden Pindling’s actions in contrast to what he deemed the opposition’s “political theatrics”.

“It was a complete embarrassment to our country, an embarrassment to themselves, and the actions taken weren’t grounded in any philosophy, weren’t grounded in anything beyond political theatrics,” Mr Cooper added.

“When this was done before, we were fighting for equality and social justice, majority rule, and independence. We were fighting for power to be given to the people.”