The Tribune

By DANA SMITH dsmith@tribunemedia.net PLP Tall Pines candidate Leslie Miller has dismissed National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest's lawsuit against him as "foolishness" but also spoke on possible counter legal action. In his suit, Mr Turnquest claims damages caused by "slander and/or falsehood published", according to the Supreme Court's civil registry cause list. According to published media reports, the suit reportedly refers to a comment about domestic violence which was allegedly made by Mr Miller, earlier this month. Mr Miller denied the allegations and said the Minister is the one who initiated the exchange. "I never called his wife's name nor did I call Tommy Turnquest's name in relation to any beating of wives, so if he chooses to cry foul when he was the one that initiated the fight - I find it so incredible and so petty," he said. "I got served yesterday... it's a joke, really, because what happens now when Mr Keith Bell and the other persons in our party, including myself now, join each other and bring a suit against him. He can't believe that he's just going to come with his suit and we're not going to counter-sue him," Mr Miller said. He then recalled comments reportedly made by Mr Turnquest concerning attorney Keith Bell and other PLP party officials. "I got so much more things to do in my life right now than fool around with Tommy Turnquest and his little frivolous lawsuits," Mr Miller said. "This guy who initiated this whole foolishness is running to the courts to talk foolishness around people there? Please. He got nothing else to do? When the crime is at an all time high? When neighbours are being murdered everyday? When we are being threatened? Now by the United States government that they put out a warning to their citizens to be careful. He's concerned about a lawsuit instead of looking at the governance of our country?" Mr Miller later said: "It is his right as a citizen to do whatever he wants to do, it is our right too, to do what is necessary to counteract what he would have done. He brought a lawsuit, we will bring a lawsuit. But is that really what is in the minds of average Bahamians today?"