NASSAU, BAHAMAS — House of Assembly Speaker Patricia Deveaux stood her ground in a session Wednesday morning after a debate between the opposition and the current administration erupted during Prime Minister, Philip Davis’ reading of the Mental Health Bill 2022.
“Everybody like to tell me what to do and how to do it and then, when I say something the first thing everybody jump up and like to say, I treating you like children. Well how do yall treat the speaker?” Deveaux said.
The back and forth took place when opposition Leader Michael Pintard was recognized to make a comment during Davis’ communication where he suggested that the Prime Minister would want to contextualize what could be taken as a derogatory statement about the disabled.
”It is most unfortunate that the member for Cat Island, in the communication adopted language […] from the former prime minister (Member of Parliament for Killarney) according to his statement, that the economy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, was left in a wheelchair. A most unfortunate reference,” Pintard said.
Minister of Social Services and Member of Parliament for West End, Obediah Wilchcombe responded to Pintard’s comments, stating that the interruption was unnecessary.
“We must not allow this trend to continue because Madam Speaker communications are not to be rebutted. […] and now the house has been disrupted into what amounts to a debate.
“We are not there Madam Speaker so please let us continue our communications so that we can stick to the agenda.”
The Prime Minister also responded to the opposition leader, pointing out the double standard in his statement,
”He’s attacking Killarney, I’m quoting Killarney and he’s saying I shouldn’t say what Killarney say. […] Don’t bring me into your party business.
”I quoted your leader, or your former leader and you sat with him, heard him talk about wheelchair, never said anything about it […] don’t back door him man, go to him, face him,” Davis said.
Member of Parliament for St. Anne’s Adrian White followed, amid criticism from the opposition about the interruption that they claimed was not warranted.
White then read rule 44 from the book of conduct for the House of Assembly on the guidelines regarding communications.
”A minister may make a statement when statements and communications are called, in the order of business or on private notice of the speaker at any other time during a sitting,” he read.
In an attempt to restore order in the house, Deveaux raised her voice amidst the heated back and fourth demanding that her seat be respected.
“No respect, no decorum. I ain’t tolerating that from nobody today. […] and I don’t make these rules up as I go. I understand the rules […] make sure you understand the rules that govern this honorable assembly.
“[..]Like to get up and tell me, madam speaker I ain’t sitting down, madam speaker I ain’t doing this. Well if you don’t do as I say, I’ve been kind Mr. Pinder. I been kind. Ya gone find your way out that door down the green rug and outside on the streets.
“Law and order. Now let’s get back to the people’s business. That’s what we came here to do,” she said.
Two additional disruptions followed, in which members spoke out of turn and out of the speakers’ permission. One, during Pintard’s contribution when he brought up the FTX matter and later on got into a back and fourth with Works Minister Alfred Sears about the Bahamas Power and Light hedging and high electricity costs.
Once the noise level in the room was under control, Deveaux reiterated her desire for the house to ‘stick to the script’ and continue to debate the matter at hand, which was the Mental Health Bill 2022.
“In this place, I don’t know what it is why I could never be respected when I make a ruling that we should try to stick to the script, which is the Mental Health Act.
“I know that we want to debate this FTX but there will be a time when all members will have a say but as it may be right now, it is before the courts and I cannot allow members to disrespect the legislative branch of our country,” Deveaux said.
In the last call for order in the House of Assembly, Deveaux again asked that the members stay on the topic at hand,
“We will resume these other points at another date. I have a long list of speakers here and we will stick to the Mental Health Bill. All these other… I don’t know what to call it. Delays. Okay? We will stop, they will cease.”
Loading ...
