The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

AFTER a closed door meeting with Official Opposition Leader Philip "Brave" Davis, House Speaker Halson Moultrie yesterday renewed his pledge of impartiality in mediating parliamentary proceedings.

The Nassau Village MP did not go into great detail about their discussion.

However it followed several clashes during Wednesday's house sitting, particularly one in which Mr Moultrie expunged certain comments made by Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin from the record after she refused to withdraw them.

Members on the governing side had called for her to substantiate her statements, but she argued it was not required since she was personally told of the claims.

The incident seemed to draw the ire of Mr Davis who publicly voiced concerns immediately after the House of Assembly adjourned for the lunch recess as members were exiting the lower chamber.

The Speaker's relationship with Mrs Hanna Martin in the House has been at times contentious and tumultuous. Back in January, he named and suspended the MP. This incident gave way to a surprising and unusual speech from the Speaker several days later in which he launched personal attacks against members of the Progressive Liberal Party while defending his decision to suspend Mrs Hanna Martin.

Among other things, Mr Moultrie took a swipe at the foreign-born status of the wife of Mr Davis. And in an apparent dig at PLP Chairman Fred Mitchell, he accused Mr Davis of taking advice from "reprobates" and "perverts." Mr Moultrie also lashed out at retired parliamentary clerk, Maurice Tynes.

"Now I understand the role of the Speaker is to be impartial and we had this discussion last night," Mr Moultrie said during the sitting yesterday, moments before Mr Davis stood to make his contribution to the Economic Empowerment Zone Bill 2018. "I'm satisfied despite what might come in the future and what might have already happened, that the member for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador was sincere in our discussions concerning the way forward.

"I want this Parliament and the Official Opposition to know that despite what I would call chaotic and unfavourable weather of the past week and maybe the tumultuous experience, that when we recess and return, this Speaker intends to be as impartial as is humanly possible and while though maintaining the rules to ensure that this institution maintains the highest possible standards that is possible as we progress this country towards higher planes. And so I believe that as a result of that meeting last night, we have arrived at a new position and a new standard to advance this Parliament and the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. I want thank the member for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador for exhibiting the type of political maturity that was exhibited during our meeting last night."

Before he made his pledge to be unbiased, the Speaker spoke of his political past as leader of a third party, adding he was once also a member of the PLP. He seemed to used this to further justify the pledge.

Mr Moultrie said: "In 1992 I was taken to court for the first time and only time in my life. I was represented by the member for Cat Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador. I was taken to court for registering to vote in Inagua and Mayaguana in the 1992 general elections. I was taken to court by the Free National Movement. God is good. I was the candidate for the Progressive Liberal Party.

"I received PLP training. I still have the book on Machiavelli the prince that was handed to me. I was trained by Kendal Nottage who was assisted by Andrew 'Dud' Maynard. After a short period of time after 1992 I entered the political wilderness in third party politics and I was at the time the leader of the Bahamian Freedom Alliance. So I was attacking the Free National Movement and I was attacking the Progressive Liberal Party and I was receiving attacks from both.

"As third party, I was in the valley of the shadow of death and death blows were being thrown from both giants and so it is interesting that I sit here today. At the invitation of the member for Killarney, I became a member of the Free National Movement.

"I received FNM training as a consequence and the same Andrew 'Dud' Maynard was a part of the FNM training and so I say God is good because I happen to be the Speaker who has PLP heritage, PLP training, third party wilderness experience and Free National Movement training and experience," he also said.