In his first communication to Parliament since vacating his seat in the House of Assembly last year to battle bankruptcy woes, Holy Cross Member of Parliament Sidney Stubbs vowed Wednesday to learn from his past experience to become a better person.
Holy Cross MP Sidney Stubbs was all smiles on Wednesday as he headed to the House of Assembly to take up his seat for the first time in more ļ¾ than a year. (Photo by Omar Barr)
After he walked into the House of Assembly’s chamber shortly after noon, Mr. Stubbs received a rousing welcome from Progressive Liberal Party colleagues and supporters sitting in the gallery and a hearty handshake from Opposition Leader in the House of Assembly Alvin Smith and Opposition Whip Brent Symonette.
The Opposition had fiercely objected to a resolution in March granting the Holy Cross MP an additional three months to appeal to the Privy Council against his bankruptcy order.
That objection came despite the prime minister’s insistence that if not successful, the government would proceed with a bye-election to fill the vacancy.
That possibility was thrown out the window on Tuesday when the Privy Council ruled that the Court of Appeal erred when it determined that it did not have jurisdiction to hear Mr. Stubbs’ appeal.
The High Court also ruled that the bankruptcy order should not have been issued under the circumstances.
An hour after members got off to a late start, the House Speaker reported that he had received communication from Evans & Co, Mr. Stubbs’ legal representatives in his bankruptcy case; the Attorney General’s office and Mr. Stubbs himself, indicating that the bankruptcy order had been annulled and that the Holy Cross MP was free to take his seat in Parliament.
Mr. Stubbs however told his colleagues that while Wednesday should have marked a joyous occasion, he was saddened that the prime minister had been hospitalized.
Prime Minister Perry Christie was rushed to hospital shortly before 6am Tuesday for what doctors said was “severe hypertension.”
On Wednesday, doctors reported that Mr. Christie continued to show remarkable signs of improvement and was expected to be released from hospital before the end of the week.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Mr. Stubbs said the experience was a humbling one, a sentiment he reiterated to his parliamentary colleagues a day later.
Quoting the great Greek philosopher, Aristotle, Mr. Stubbs said, “What makes democracy fun is when you make a mistake and you have the ability to correct that mistake.”
“My experience has been a humbling one, but it has made me the greater. It has brought me back to this place a better person,” he said.
“You will see a new Sidney Stubbs. You will see a different Member of Parliament and I am here to represent the interest of the people of Holy Cross. This is serious business to me. I know what it was to be out there and not in here. And I know that the people of Holy Cross stuck with me and they deserve representation and I will give them that representation.”
Officially welcoming Mr. Stubbs back was Leader of Government business in the House of Assembly, Vincent Peet, who said his colleagues all looked forward to the MP’s contributions.
“He has made tremendous contributions over the years and it will be important for the residents of Holy Cross to have their voice heard again,” Minister Peet said.
The House of Assembly has been adjourned until May 25, at which time the prime minister and minister of finance is expected to present his 2005/2006 budget communication.
By: Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal
