Dames says reports of incident is “sensationalized news”

Dames says reports of incident is “sensationalized news”

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – National security minister Marvin Dames labelled reports, which were published in local dailies on Thursdays, which suggested that he angrily stormed out of the House of Assembly and had to be restrained from attacking his fellow colleague, Frederick McAlpine, as “sensationalized news.”

The national security minister also described the reports as laughable.

“I watched the reports on TV and I laughed,” Dames said. “I was approached by the MP McAlpine who, obviously wanted to apologize for some comments that he made that supposedly gave the impression that he was misrepresented.

“I was not interested in hearing it.”

Dames reportedly shrugged off McAlpine, who currently serves as the Free National Movement’s member of parliament for the Pineridge constituency in Grand Bahama.

Reports noted that Dames shouted that he did not wish to be “buttered up,” as he walked away from McAlpine.

Yesterday, Dames said, “I made my point and left the floor and went to the restroom and when I was done, I walked out, came back upstairs and answered questions from the press.”

He also shot down claims that his colleague, Ellsworth Johnson, had to drag him to the men’s room so that he could regain his composure.

“No, I wasn’t restrained at all,” Dames said. “Once I was done I walked away, went to the restroom, came back out and dealt with the press. I was fully in control of what I was doing.”

The Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), who had just returned to the Lower Chamber yesterday after staging a boycott of two House of Assembly proceedings, watched the entire saga unfold.

On Thursday, PLP leader Philip Davis suggested via a press statement that Dames needed to seek help for anger management.

“The display is indicative of his unfitness to hold such a high office,” Davis said. “It is unsafe for him to remain in office. We recommend that he enrolls in an anger management program for his own personal good.”

Dames, while seeking to protect his reputation, gave this retort to Davis, McAlpine and to his hecklers.

“I say to the leader of the opposition and all of those who stand up; let’s go anywhere in this world over and let’s measure respectability and trust and let’s see who will remain standing at the end of the day,” he said.

“My reputation precedes me.”

Eyewitness News Online contacted McAlpine for comment on Thursday but he declined, only saying,  “I really do not want to say anything further on this matter. I appreciate you reaching out to me. The whole ordeal was just a disappointment.”

About Theo Sealy

Theo Sealy is an award-winning journalist who serves as senior broadcast reporter and weekend TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. He has achieved several career milestones, including his work as a field contributor with CNN, his coverage of four consecutive general elections, his production of several docuseries and his Bahamas Press Club Awards win for “Best Television News Story” in 2018.