The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

OPPOSITION leader Michael Pintard is accusing the Davis administration of being “undemocratic” and is warning that the FNM will not be quiet when the rights of opposition parliamentarians and the Bahamian people are being abused.

He was speaking at a special meeting on Wednesday evening at FNM headquarters in New Providence.

Many FNM supporters in Grand Bahama gathered at the party’s headquarters in Freeport to watch the meeting as it was live streamed at 7pm on Facebook.

This comes following a protest by Mr Pintard and opposition members of parliament in the House of Assembly on Wednesday after the government refused to allow the question-and-answer period.

Mr Pintard told supporters the government has proven consistently their word cannot be trusted.

“This administration is undemocratic - and we will not be quiet whenever we believe our rights are being abused,” he stressed.

He told supporters: “And I am saying to you, if you work in a ministry and you are being trampled upon, you have a union that will fight for you, and we will fight for you. We will go to work with you,” said Mr Pintard.

The party leader told supporters and persons not to be intimidated, but to report instances of victimisation.

“If they are transferring you from one department without just reason, let us know; we will be involved.

“If they are sending someone to your house and telling you to come in and talk with them, tell them your attorney will be in contact with them; if someone cuss you out, get their name and number and let’s see who it is because the best and brightest do not behave like that. Do not be intimidated, we must let them know when you touch one you touch all.”

Mr Pintard stressed that government is to govern for all citizens. “And when talking about creating employment, it isn’t about firing group A to put group B in place,” he said.

Another issue of concern Mr Pintard addressed was the government’s extravagant spending on travelling when two of the country’s major public hospitals need fixing.

“When we say that they travel too much … we believe the Prime Minister should travel and ministers should travel, but we don’t believe you need a massive delegation to tackle some of the issues that are being tackled.

“We have ambassadors in almost every country at the moment. The problem is they have a bucket list that they are ticking off places we wish to go. Folks we could not reward with a job because we are not growing the economy so we are taking them on business class, and sometimes the high-profile media they have is insensitive to know things are rough and they should not be doing selfies. Profiling with our money and they are telling us that we can’t fix the Rand and PMH in the way it should be fixed.”

At FNM headquarters in Grand Bahama, Kwasi Thompson, MP for East Grand Bahama, told reporters that Mr Pintard’s message was clear that they are standing with the people and demanding answers of the government.

“Tonight’s meeting is evidence that the people have had enough of this government. Tonight’s message is that we want the entire Bahamas to know we are standing with the people and demanding answers, and that the government do their job,” he stressed.

David Thompson, chairman of the FNM Grand Bahama Council, said the Prime Minister and his government continue to seek to frustrate and shut up the opposition.

“We are a country of laws and there are rules … and Wednesday is set aside for questioning of the people’s business that government must come prepared to answer. Not answering the question is failure on their part in terms of our democracy to carry out their duties that they were sworn to obey.”

“Walking around ducking our law is not the message we must send to The Bahamas, the people, and particularly, our young people,” he said.