By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder gave St Anne’s MP Adrian White a scathing rebuke yesterday for opposing and criticising the Law Reform and Revision Act.
Mr White had argued in the House of Assembly that the Bill was neither groundbreaking nor much different from the existing law.
Responding in the Senate, Senator Pinder criticized Mr White’s “divisive and dismissive attitude” towards the legislation, calling him a “rookie parliamentarian”.
“I want to take a couple of minutes to admonish that White man in the other place,” Mr Pinder said yesterday.
“That would be the member for St Anne’s for his divisive attitude and dismissive attitude towards his legislative responsibilities in relation to this Bill. His ignorance can be blamed on being a rookie parliamentarian, but as a legal practitioner, he should be ashamed of the posture he had in that place.”
Senator Darren Henfield called Mr Pinder’s comments disparaging.
“The rules of this place clearly prohibit disparaging words spoken about any member of any parliament in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, be it this place or the other,” Mr Henfield said.
“He called the fellow very disparagingly even though he’s a white man … and then he goes on with some more derogatory commentary concerning the member of parliament for St Anne’s. My point of order is that this member who is the Attorney General of the Bahamas who ought to know better should not be speaking disparagingly about his colleagues in either house of Parliament.”
Mr Pinder said the Law Reform and Revision Commission worked hard on the bill.
“They believe that it is an important piece of legislation for the modernisation of their department, a department, if God help us, he ever becomes the attorney general he would have the portfolio of responsibility,” he said.
“Madame President, he owes the hardworking (members) of the commission an apology for what he had to say. I, for one, am proud of all the attorneys and staff in the commission. It is not an easy job. Some may say it isn’t a glamorous job, but they are some of the smartest, hardworking people I know.”
The Senate passed the bill yesterday evening.
Comments
birdiestrachan 1 year, 6 months ago
He said he is new is he or is he not?.he did not say anything bad about ,him his name is White Mr Henfield
themessenger 1 year, 6 months ago
Birdie, I never thought I’d see the day when a black crab like you would sharing the same crab hole with a white crab like Ryan Pinder. The saying politics makes strange bedfellows takes on a whole new meaning. Both you and Ryan need to stop and smell the stuff you’re shoveling.
birdiestrachan 1 year, 6 months ago
The man's name is White so when he said that white man like saying that Henfield man it is not that hard to figure he was not speaking about his hue ,
birdiestrachan 1 year, 6 months ago
The man's name is White like that Henfield man it has nothing to do with his hue, white is his name
Sickened 1 year, 6 months ago
Birdie we all get the strong suspicion that you are racist. But it's good to see you defending your white brother.
Sickened 1 year, 6 months ago
Boy the AG is really threatened by Mr. White. Wonder why? I suggest the AG stick with his expertise in tax law and stay above the fray. Comments like these will put him in the same bucket as the regular PLP political scum - and that bucket is hard to get out of.
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