The Tribune

By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIAL Opposition Leader Michael Pintard says House Speaker Patricia Deveaux owes National Emergency Management Agency Director Captain Stephen Russell an apology.

He said what transpired on Thursday in the House of Assembly was most “inappropriate” and unfortunate.

Mr Pintard made the comments the day after Speaker Deveaux lambasted Captain Russell from her chair in Parliament, telling him he needed a 9am to 5pm job after he did not respond in a way that was pleasing to her in the aftermath of a tornado in her constituency of Bamboo Town on Wednesday.

She went on to suggest that he did not share the government’s vision to move the country forward and intimated that he was at home watching the game amid her appeal for help.

Following her lashing of Captain Russell, NEMA released a two-page statement outlining the efforts that were ongoing following the tornado and that the director was engaged throughout the process.

“In the morning session we witnessed something that was most unfortunate,” Mr Pintard said alongside St Annes MP Adrian White in a live Facebook video Friday.

“Let me say up front that we believe every member of Parliament, including the Speaker, has a right to speak on behalf of their constituents and we all get emotional when we believe something has happened to our constituents that needs to be remedied.

“But what we have to be careful of is that in speaking up for our constituents we don’t do so at the expense of others and unfortunately we thought that the manner in which NEMA, Captain Russell, was characterised was most inappropriate and unfortunate.

"In fact I rose after the acting prime minister to make the point that NEMA is a coordinating agency. Immediately after a catastrophe that particular director need not be present as long as they are doing their job coordinating other agencies that are necessary to show up and later in the afternoon it appears that the facts confirmed that was exactly what happened.

“We have to be careful as parliamentarians, FNMs included, that we do not negatively characterise defenceless citizens and veteran public servants who are not in the House of Assembly and cannot defend themselves unless some amazing facts emerge that prove otherwise.

“The Speaker owes Captain Russell an apology.

“As for the Free National Movement, we intend to continue to work with the Speaker and to work with members of the government to make sure we have lively debates.”

For his part Mr White, who is leader of opposition business in the House of Assembly, said Thursday’s House experience was unusual.

He said: “Yesterday afternoon there would have been video circulating of the behaviour in the House and that House is the people’s House where the representatives of the people appear and represent the constituents. They represent the nation at large and what we’re doing right now, the business of the House is a debate on the budget for the year.

“So, it’s extremely important that we remain focused on that. It was, however, very difficult for myself to retain my composer in the face of what was being sent in my direction not only verbally but through physical actions.

“Unfortunately, that is unusual for an experience that I have in the House with Madam Speaker and out of appreciation for all of the representatives and the people of The Bahamas for us to get it together in the House we are going to have to work together.

“I’m looking forward to that negative experience turning into a positive one as we continue with the people’s business.

"We will always look to serve the interest of the Bahamian people and the progress of the nation, but incidents that occurred yesterday won’t be able to be accepted much longer. So, we need to do a 180 about face and change the direction in which we conduct ourselves toward one another in our House.

Mr White continued: “Many of my constituents felt that I had been disrespected.

“I’ll give the Speaker the benefit of the doubt and look to her like everyone of us making improvement for the better and in the interest of the Bahamian people.”