The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The recent altercation between the Hon Loretta Butler-Turner (FNM-Long Island) and the Hon Doctor Andre Rollins (PLP-Fort Charlotte) within the precincts of the House of Assembly was a national disgrace of the highest order.

They were both wrong even if Mrs Butler-Turner was within her rights as a woman to maintain her personal space and privacy.

Rollins is an obnoxious individual who often tries, without success, to play cute. I have had cause to almost rub shoulders with him when he threatened, some years ago, to assault me for what he perceived to be unflattering remarks about him.

The wrong message was sent by both of them to our people, especially the youth. No man, on the one hand should ever physically hold onto or touch a woman who plainly tells him not to do so. Rollins, not known to be a ladies’ man, should have known better. Loretta, however, did not have to slap him within the precincts of the House of Assembly.

MPs are supposed to be honourable men and women. They should know how to conduct themselves while in public. What they do behind closed doors, or in hotel rooms in Grand Bahama, is entirely their private business.

The Speaker of the House should have publicly reprimanded them and suspended them for at least one sitting of the House. He failed to do so. Clearly the Speaker is unaware of his responsibilities to ensure the proper respect and decorum of members while in the precincts of the House.

Of course, I understand that the Speaker is a political novice so he may have to be excused but civility in politics must always be maintained and enforced. The erstwhile Leader of the Opposition should also have publicly chastised his Deputy Leader but, he too fell down on the job. I realise, however, that he is walking a thin line within the FNM and that Loretta has leadership aspirations.
I don’t expect the PM to publicly reprimand Rollins as they are perceived to be two peas in one shell. Mr Christie, however, is not known to be one to publicly take on an errant member of his party, historically. He appears to hate public confrontations and always appears to want people to like him.

Had Ingraham still been PM and Loretta had publicly slapped another MP within the precincts of the House, she would have paid a heavy price, in more ways than one.
In our civil life people are often caught up in the moments.

Remember the big fight in a local Baptist church the other day? It was initially reported in the media but for months now we have heard absolutely nothing about the status or disposition of that scandalous incident. Has it, like so many others, been swept under the proverbial rug?

Some years ago two sitting MPs had a big fight in the cabinet room when furniture owned by the taxpayers was damaged. No criminal charges were brought and to this very day we do not know the extent of the damage or who would have paid for it. Who was PM then and who is PM now?

Almost each time the House meets members on the opposite side are threatening to do something to someone or hurling oral bomb shells regardless of who might be in the public gallery or watching the proceedings via television. Most of them simply do not care and are grand standing. I often wonder if we do not have a House of jackasses as opposed to a House of Assembly.

Civility in politics and public life must be restored. Our nation is already witnessing criminality of the highest order amongst the people. Now we have our leaders in the church; politics and civil society acting out their juvenile antics in public? To God then, in all of these mundane things, be the glory.

ORTLAND H BODIE Jr

Nassau,

June 18, 2013.