Gomez hints at funding method as Health Insurance Bill tabled
HEALTH Minister Dr Perry Gomez yesterday hinted at how the government may decide to fund the National Health Insurance scheme as it expands in scope, noting that other countries have taxed “unhealthy substances” like alcohol and tobacco as well as high salt and high sugar products to fund healthcare.
Parliament defiant in face of court ruling in email row
STRIKING a tone of defiance, parliamentarians reacted with outrage in the House of Assembly yesterday to Supreme Court Justice Indra Charles’ historic ruling that Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald infringed on the constitutional rights of Save The Bays’ members when he tabled private emails and discussed financial information allegedly related to the group in the House of Assembly in June.
UPDATED: Neko Grant steps down as Leader of Opposition Business in the House
CENTRAL Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant yesterday resigned as Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Assembly and the Free National Movement’s shadow Works Minister, pointing to his relationship with FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis as the motivating factor.
Minnis unveils plans to tackle corruption
FREE National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday released the details of his much talked about anti-corruption plan, saying it aims to restore transparency and accountability to the country.
Rollins ‘to run as independent candidate in Long Island’
FORT CHARLOTTE MP Dr Rollins will reportedly be running as an independent candidate for the Long Island constituency in the next general election, The Tribune understands.
MP who joked about abusing woman says Lightbourn is in the Stone Age
TALL Pines MP Leslie Miller yesterday said he was “shocked” to learn of Richard Lightbourn’s “tube tying” comments, as he criticised the Montagu MP, insisting that to make such a proposal revealed the inner workings of an “evil and twisted mind”.
Butler-Turner: I can't be bought
LONG Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner yesterday revealed that the Free National Movement) has presented several offers to her, including a promotion to Leader of Opposition Business in the House of Assembly, in an effort to “buy her off” to step away from the plethora of issues she has with the organisation.
Miller tells Minnis: Don’t let rival back into your bosom
TALL Pines MP Leslie Miller yesterday warned Free National Movement Leader Dr Hubert Minnis not to allow Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner “back into his bosom,” saying he is “likely to get the heck bitten out him” should she get too close to the party’s leadership.
Former Speaker ‘saddened and dismayed’ by MP's comments
FORMER Speaker of the House of Assembly Italia Johnson has joined the growing condemnation of Richard Lightbourn for his comments last week about sterilisation of unwed mothers, describing them as “historically incorrect and extremely insensitive”.
Fitzgerald says he plans to appeal
EDUCATION Minister Jerome Fitzgerald says he plans to appeal the ruling handed down by Supreme Court judge Justice Indra Charles in the Save The Bays email hacking scandal yesterday.
Fitzgerald explains why he’s backing Christie to stay as PM
A day after identifying himself as one of the “new generational leaders” petitioning Prime Minister Perry Christie to stay on as PLP Leader ahead of the 2017 general election, Marathon MP Jerome Fitzgerald said the FNM’s recent convention inspired him to come forward.
Turnquest asks why Carnival report has not been released
FREE National Movement Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest yesterday questioned why the Christie administration has not yet released this year’s Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival financial performance report.
Lightbourn under fire for ‘tube tying’ comments
TWO local advocacy groups have condemned Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn’s proposal for the state-sponsored sterilisation of women as “archaic, barbaric and dangerous”, charging that the suggestion is “frighteningly reminiscent” of sterilisation policies used against black people internationally in the 1960s.
FNM chairman: Butler-Turner knew she was going to lose
PARTY Chairman Sidney Collie said Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner did not withdraw from the Free National Movement’s leadership race because the process was “corrupt” but because she knew “the tide was against her” and she could not win.
Rollins: I won't run for FNM
FORT Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins confirmed yesterday that he will not be seeking a Free National Movement constituency nomination in the next general election now that Dr Hubert Minnis has retained the leadership of the party.
