The Tribune

EDITOR, The Tribune.

The following is an open letter to the Junior Minister of National Security:

In an article on page T3 of Saturday’s issue of the Big T under the caption Keith Bell: “I will challenge Andre Rollins for his seat”, which was attributed to you in an interview with a reporter from the Big T, I do not know you on a personal basis so I cannot say whether you are a drinking man or not, I am told that you are a trained lawyer and an ex-senior police officer. Given your police training coupled with your legal training, I would not have expected to see so nonsensical and na�ve a public pronouncement emanating from one of such supposed intellect. It would appear that you have had not a bad dream, but a nightmare.

Dr Rollins has the democratic right to disagree with any MP, including his leader, all MPs have that right. But in doing so one must follow protocol. When a disgruntled MP has used all the options opened to him/her and still feels disgruntled then he/she, under the Westminster style of Government must do the honourable thing, RESIGN, not from Parliament, but from appointed positions.

Doing the honourable thing is not, was not and will not ever be a part of any PLP Administration in this nation and that includes the FNM who is just another arm of the PLP. For your information, Mr Bell. if an MP is convicted and sentenced to prison during his term in office then and only then can his seat be declared vacant and a by-election called to fill the seat.

If for whatever reason Dr Rollins finds his position in the PLP has become untenable then he has three options open to him (1) he can seek to become a part of the opposition, resign his membership in the party and cross the floor (2) resign his membership in the party and declare himself as an independent MP and (3) resign his membership in the party and Parliament.

Number three you will never see, Mr Bell, for a number of reasons, for, unlike you, Dr Rollins has youth, testicular fortitude and a long way to go in Bahamian politics. I am the first to admit that he handled his situation badly, but as an independent thinker coupled with his youth he is bound to make mistakes there is nothing wrong with that if you can learn from them.

The DPM did what he should have done under the circumstances and am sure that Rollins expected no less. Now as far as Rollins resigning his seat, Mr Bell, that is hog wash and wishful thinking. I would suggest, sir, that, instead of making ridiculous and foolish press statements that you put on your thinking cap and come up with some positive solutions in assisting your minister, the C. o. P., and our hardworking members of the RBPF in their fight against this scourge call crime and forget about anyone ever resigning a seat for you to be able to run for parliament.

From the inception of the Police Force only three retired police officers ever made it to Parliament (1) Spurgeon Bethel, (2) Errington W I Watkins and (3) Garnett Levarity, some food for thought don’t you think?

ERRINGTON W I WATKINS

Nassau,

August 23, 2014.