Prime Minister Perry Christie’s conduct in the House of Assembly at the opening of parliament was “unbecoming” of a leader, FNM chairman Desmond Bannister said yesterday.
Addressing Mr Christie’s vehement criticism of FNM leader Hubert Ingraham and deputy leader Brent Symonette’s absence from the opening of the new parliamentary session on Wednesday, Mr Bannister told The Tribune that he thought Mr Christie’s behaviour was “remarkably disappointing.”
“It is very sad to see the prime minister conducting himself in this manner. It seems that he has difficulty managing parliamentary matters as he does with informing the opposition of important events,” he said.
Mr Bannister further said that regardless of the question of blame on the part of Mr Ingraham and Mr Symonette, the prime minister should not have expressed his criticism in the fashion he did.
“If that is the way he handles himself in public, then one must wonder how he handles himself when he is out there doing the country’s business. In this case its not a question of blame, but a question if the prime minister can handle the business of parliament,” he said.
Mr Bannister said Mr Christie should have informed all members of the House in advance that he intended to prorogue parliament, so that the MPs could have rearranged their personal schedules.
Mr Christie on Wednesday lambasted North Abaco MP Hubert Ingraham and Montagu MP Brent Symonette for not attending the opening of parliament, describing their absence as the “most scandalous experience” in his entire parliamentary career.
The prime minister said that the failure of both MPs to appear at the event or to send their regrets for not doing so was “repugnant” and “a disgraceful manifestation.” However, hitting back at these comments by Mr Christie, Mr Ingraham said that the prime minister had failed to inform all members of the House in advance of the prorogation of parliament.
The opposition leader was in Fort Lauderdale for a physical check-up at the Cleveland Clinic when the new session of parliament opened on Wednesday.
Mr Symonette was attending a meeting in New York on Tuesday, continuing on to London the next day. He is expected in Nassau next week.
Mr Ingraham told The Tribune that he had already scheduled his clinic appointment once before and had to cancel, and that he was not prepared to reschedule and possibly have to wait several weeks for a new appointment.
Complained
He also complained that the prime minister did not inform him until a day before of the swearing-in ceremonies for Arthur Hanna as Governor General.
Similar treatment of not informing the opposition ahead of time of important national events, said Mr. ļ¾ Ingraham, was repeated when Dame Ivy Dumont demitted office and again when funeral arrangements were made for former MP George Mackey’s funeral.
Mr Bannister said that Mr Christie – with his record of “always coming hours too late to events” – is in no position to criticise the conduct of Mr Ingraham and Mr Symonette.
“I would hope that in future the prime minister conducts himself in a manner in which the Bahamian people expect their leader to conduct himself,” he said.
Mr Bannister said that although he knows that there will be a “wide spectrum of opinions” on the absence of the two MPs and the reaction of Mr Christie, he believes most people will. understand that the prime minister was “merely show-boating.”
By KARIN HERIG Tribune Staff Reporter
