The Tribune

By TANEKA THOMPSON Deputy Chief Reporter tthompson@tribunemedia.net THE House of Assembly's Committee on Privilege has not met to probe allegations that the character of Bamboo Town MP Branville McCartney was sullied by South Abaco MP Edison Key who said the former solicited thousands of dollars in work from a government agency while he was a Cabinet minister. Committee Chairman Carl Bethel said although the matter was forwarded to the group last month, the committee has not yet received a written request to deliberate the issue. He said until he receives such a request from Mr McCartney, the "aggrieved party", it is unlikely that the matter will proceed further than the heated House of Assembly clash between Mr Key and the Bamboo Town MP. Said Mr Bethel: "No, we haven't as yet set a time (to meet). I suppose I will on Monday consult with the fellow members of the committee and determine whether or not they would wish to meet." MPs Philip Davis, Loretta Butler-Turner, Kenneth Russell, and Vincent Peet sit on the committee. Mr Bethel explained that it was customary for members of Parliament to refer contentious matters to the committee and added that the issue usually dies there - without the group meeting to investigate. "The committee on privilege is a committee that, although many things are usually referred to it in the course of a Parliamentary session, it rarely meets mainly because once the matter of controversy has been referred to the committee, as a matter of practice it is treated as having been resolved to the satisfaction of all parties - rather like a duel in the old days." He said an aggrieved member must make it clear that he wants the committee to investigate the matter by sending formal instructions in writing. "As yet nothing has been formally forwarded to the committee, I have not received any formal referral from him. My understanding is there must be more than just an (oral) complaint on the floor, it has to be taken to the next level to cause the committee (to meet)," said Mr Bethel, who is also chairman of the Free National Movement. Last month, Messrs McCartney and Key were embroiled in the House of Assembly in a heated war of words over accusations that the former solicited thousands of dollars in work from a government agency in 2007, while he was a sitting Cabinet minister and member of the FNM. Mr Key claimed he did not know Mr McCartney was the founder of and a partner in the law firm Halsbury Chambers when the firm was selected in 2007 and later paid almost $10,000 in legal fees to help the Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation collect millions of dollars owed to it. He also claimed that the Bamboo Town MP "approached" him three years ago about hiring Halsbury Chambers to work for BAIC - a move he called "dishonest". Mr McCartney denied the assertions and said his character was impugned by Mr Key's claims. He demanded that the issue be referred to the House of Assembly's Committee on Privilege.