The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

HOUSE Speaker Dr Kendal Major’s decision to suspend Fort Charlotte MP Dr Andre Rollins from the House of Assembly last week was an “over zealous” move that may have been more reflective of a contentious relationship, according to Free National Movement Deputy Leader K Peter Turnquest yesterday.

Mr Turnquest said he felt Dr Major’s actions were very abrupt and a bit premature, and warned that the suspension could be construed as a bid to censor the Official Opposition.

“I think that it is unfortunate that he (Dr Rollins) was not able to express his point of order,” he said.

“I think the Speaker may have been a bit abrupt with him in not allowing him that opportunity. I know the relationship between the Speaker and the member has been one that has been building, contention has been building. The Speaker I guess reached (the end of) his rope and it was unfortunate that the people of Fort Charlotte were denied the opportunity to have a voice.”

“To suspend somebody is a very serious thing,” Mr Turnquest added.

“It ought to be the last resort. It can be construed as intent to silence the views of the member as they are in opposition to the government and we do not condone that.”

“I believe the Speaker may have been a bit premature in not allowing the member in the very least to state the point of order. Whether he accepted it as a legitimate point of order, that is the discretion of the Speaker.”

This is not the first time that Dr Rollins has drawn the ire of House speakers. The outspoken MP has repeatedly come under fire for his apparent disregard for the House rules and conduct.

During the mid-year budget debate in March, he clashed with Deputy Speaker Dion Smith after standing on what he called “a very important point of order.”

The outburst from Dr Rollins caused Mr Smith to get to his feet and bang his desk in an attempt to bar the comments. He later ordered that the Fort Charlotte MP’s microphone be shut off. Mr Smith also threatened to have Dr Rollins removed from the House if he did not comply.

At that time, West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Obie Wilchcombe questioned at what point was the deputy speaker going to stop giving warnings.

Mr Wilchcombe said in March: “At what point are we going to stop warning, Mr Speaker, and at what point are we going to understand that this is a House and not a play house and at what point are we going to account the member for Fort Charlotte that he has to behave in this place because he has gone overboard?

“We have extended the time and every moment he wants to speak. This is verbal masturbation,” Mr Wilchcombe said. “We have to get the member to understand that this is a serious place. Making all these allegations about people must stop.”

FNM MPs have been suspended from the House on two other occasions. FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis was named and suspended for two sittings by Dr Major after he refused to withdraw his comments ahead of the debate on the Stem Cell Research and Therapy Act 2013, which was passed in August 2013.

Last June, Dr Minnis, St Anne’s MP Hubert Chipman and Central Grand Bahama MP Neko Grant were suspended from one sitting of the House for repeatedly defying Dr Major’s orders to cease their protest against MICAL MP V Alfred Gray.