During the first meeting of the House since its summer recess, Independent Member of Parliament Tennyson Wells, the MP for Bamboo Town, declared that the nation has plunged into a “constitutional crisis”.
He said the fact that North Eleuthera MP Alvin Smith has not yet resigned as leader of the Official Opposition is a violation of the Constitution because the leader must have the full support and confidence of the Opposition MPﾴs.
Given that the Opposition MPﾴs took their case to the partyﾴs Central Council last Thursday night, winning support for Mr. Ingraham becoming the new leader, Mr. Wells said it is clear that Mr. Smith does not enjoy the confidence of the FNM MPﾴs.
Seeking to determine who is the real leader of the FNMﾴs parliamentary team, Mr. Wells pointed to Article 82 of the Constitution which directs that there be a leader of the Opposition not only on paper de jure (in law) but also de facto (in fact) as a living political reality.
“It is clear, Mr. Speaker, that the Member for North Eleuthera has disavowed the position as leader of the Opposition. He has been up and down the country waiting for the leader and the whole public knows it,” Mr. Wells said.
“How are we going to respect our institutions if this is the way they are going to behave? It is not a question of whether the leader of the Opposition has delivered his resignation to the governor general. Thatﾴs not the question any more. He publicly said that ﾑI voted for the Member [for] North Abaco.ﾴ”
Mr. Wells added that it may be that if this crisis is not resolved by the FNM sitting members, the governor general may have to exercise her judgment under Article 82.4 of the constitution and appoint some other person. He suggested Lucaya MP Neko Grant.
“In spite of the vote by the FNM parliamentary group, the member [for] North Abaco has clearly demonstrated that he does not want it,” Mr. Wells charged.
“They did not give him the kind of majority he wanted in the FNM Council and the member is now treating his FNM parliamentary colleagues, the FNM Council, this parliament and the country with contempt.
“I canﾴt say that I blame him with respect to some of his former Cabinet Ministers and his FNM parliamentary colleagues ﾖ but to treat the FNM Council, this parliament and the country like that is downright uncalled for, disrespectful and contemptuous.”
The Bamboo Town MP then scolded those whom he said orchestrated the embarrassing situation allowing themselves to be used as tools for ulterior motives.
“This is serious,” he said.
“This conduct on their part shows a lack of knowledge or understanding of the Constitution and the law and or a callous disregard or respect for the system. The Official Opposition of our country ought to behave in a responsible manner.
“Members ought to have behaved and acted in a principled manner and not out of expedience. I am disappointed to see the FNM in the state it is in today ﾖ the party I have given so much effort, time and resources to nurture and buildﾅBut more than that, Mr. Speaker, this country desperately needs an Official Opposition that is functioning properly, both legally and politically.”
St. Margaret MP Pierre Dupuch said he has seen parliament “pulled down to the gutter.”
“I donﾴt know whether itﾴs through ignorance or lack of respect for the public,” Mr. Dupuch said, “but I donﾴt know ﾖ maybe I donﾴt understand ﾖ how a man could be deputy to himself or acting for his position. “
“After all, he was sworn in by the governor general. He has been told that they have no faith in him and he hasnﾴt had the courtesy to submit his resignation,” Mr. Dupuch said.
“ﾅThey are not the FNM that I voted for, not the FNM that I worked for trying to give a word of decency and democracy and freedom in this country. They donﾴt represent it and they demonstrated this the last two weeks. They donﾴt represent the good people of the FNM. They should be ashamed of themselves. They stand in this House and make a mockery of this place. They have let this country down, this House down, the people down and themselves.”
But Montagu MP Brent Symonette insisted that no constitutional issues exist.
He said he had spoken to Mr. Ingraham who has clearly indicated his full intention to accept the request of FNM House members.
“The post of leader of the Opposition is filled by the Member of Parliament for North Eleuthera and as such this motion should not come before here today,” Mr. Symonette said.
“This is clearly a political trick and gimmick using the Constitution because the Constitution is very clear.”
It was at this point that the prime minister intervened, stressing that he is personally saddened to see what has happened to Mr. Smith, yet doubly saddened to see what has happened to FNM Leader Senator Tommy Turnquest.
“We know as the leader of the Opposition, the Member of North Eleuthera is really not anywhere near leadership in his party. We always knew it, but we pretended otherwise. He never pretended to be that either; he just stood and spoke as that. And one of the saddest days is to see this absolute contradiction exposed in the way it has been in the democracy we have.”
Mr. Christie described the dilemma as “a disgraceful period that is unnecessary, immoral, demagogic, one of the greatest constitutional obscenities that has happened in The Bahamas.”
“It is sad and sickening,” he said. “Somewhere along the line there has to be good order and good sense and decency in a process. I donﾴt care what it is.”
By: Macushla N. Pinder, Nassau Guardian
