The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

THE Free National Movement yesterday condemned Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell’s petitioning of House Speaker Dr Kendal Major over persons he felt were in breach of parliamentary privilege, charging that Mr Mitchell’s actions were a “direct attempt” to “undermine, weaken and diminish the authority and integrity of the Speaker.”

The FNM, in a statement, said Mr Mitchell’s letter to Dr Major last week was “yet another shameful affront to our democracy by a reckless and out of control executive.”

The opposition party said Mr Mitchell seems to be of the view that the Speaker is a “puppet of both the executive branch and the PLP” and is subsequently “compelled to accept the executive’s blanket contempt for his authority” or “face the possibility that he may not receive a nomination from the PLP to run in the next general election”.

The FNM also said Mr Mitchell’s letter creates the impression that he is attempting to “bring public pressure on the Speaker to influence his decision on the matter advanced by (Mr Mitchell).”

Charging that Mr Mitchell has shown “contempt” for the office of the Speaker, the FNM called for Dr Major to “condemn and reprimand Mr Mitchell at his earliest opportunity at the next sitting of Parliament.”

Last week, Mr Mitchell wrote a letter to Dr Major, in which he rebuked attempts by Save The Bays’ (STB) lawyers and attorney Fred Smith, QC, to question members of Parliament about the leak of its emails in the House of Assembly or to legally suppress information.

Mr Mitchell also outlined several persons he felt had breached parliamentary privilege in response to the email leak – including Data Protection Commissioner Sharmie Farrington-Austin.

At the time, Mr Mitchell declared that parliamentary privilege was a primary and unassailable right that could not be dismissed by “half baked lawyers and misdirected public officials and courts.”

The letter was released by Bahamas Information Services (BIS).

Yesterday however, the FNM said it is “unacceptable and totally disrespectful” for Mr Mitchell to write a letter to Dr Major and “simultaneously publish that letter in the media and share it with members of the public.”

The FNM also said Mr Mitchell’s letter puts Dr Major in a “very delicate position” since he must now make a “public ruling on the concerns of the minister.”

“The release of the letter to the public could easily be seen as a direct attempt to undermine, weaken and diminish the authority and integrity of the Speaker,” the statement added.

“Additionally, the release of the letter conveys the message and also creates the impression that the minister is attempting to bring public pressure on the Speaker to influence his decision on the matter advanced by Minister Mitchell.

“Mitchell has shown contempt for the office of the Speaker in leaking his letter. He is clearly of the view that the Speaker is a puppet of both the executive’s blanket contempt for his authority and any semblance of respect for his office, or face the possibility that he may not receive a nomination from the PLP to run in the next general election.

“This, like (Education Minister Jerome Fitzgerald’s) dangerous email disclosure in the House, is yet another shameful affront to our democracy by a reckless and out of control executive. Consequently, it is anticipated that the Speaker would condemn and reprimand Mr Mitchell at his earliest convenience at the next sitting of Parliament.”

The FNM also criticised Mr Mitchell for referring to the country’s public officials and courts as “misdirected.”

“Senior civil servants strongly object to this insult and abuse by the minister,” the statement said. “However, they have become accustomed to the minister and the PLP referring to them as less than competent and smugglers.

“The FNM committee members have also disassociated themselves from the minister’s characterisation of the courts and the leadership of these institutions as ‘misdirected’. Committee members all know that it is absolutely wrong for a member of the executive branch to speak about the judicial branch in such a condescending and disrespectful way.”

In the past, Mr Mitchell has criticised the courts for rulings on immigration matters.

The FNM statement also said that Mr Mitchell’s actions were “disrespectful” and “discourteous” to the members of the Committee of Privilege. The statement also outlined the party’s disapproval of Mr Mitchell’s characterisations of Mr Smith, QC.

“The FNM believes that this matter is very serious and it must be addressed immediately so that the PLP government does not continue its attempt to further erode our parliamentary democracy,” the statement said.

The STB controversy was sparked after its confidential financial affairs and emails were read out in Parliament.

Mr Fitzgerald, Mr Mitchell, along with Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller all disclosed the private information under the protection of parliamentary privilege.

Their actions drew criticism from many, including the data protection commissioner.