By DANA SMITH

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

A ROW broke out in the House of Assembly yesterday over who is responsible for assigning security to present and former prime ministers.

The argument was started when Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner accused the government of caring more about protecting themselves than the public.

"The Government seems more concerned about its personal protection than that of the Bahamian people," she said, quoting FNM Chairman Charles Maynard.

"It has increased personal protection for various cabinet members. This action redeploys potential manpower and limited personnel away from the streets protecting homes and businesses."

The FNM Deputy Leader continued: "The FNM has stated that... 'We do not support taking even more police officers away from where the vast majority of crime occurs. This may prove to be a monumental and strategic blunder in the fight against crime'."

Golden Gates MP Shane Gibson then accused Mrs Butler-Turner of "misleading Parliament" in accusing the PLP of increasing personal protection. He said that North Abaco MP and former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham has four police officers assigned to him - more than other former prime ministers.

"The now Prime Minister (Perry Christie), while he was in opposition, had two police officers assigned to him," Mr Gibson said.

After noting the difference, he declared: "When she talks about having the resources deployed to protect PLP cabinet ministers, I think she needs to be consistent with her remarks."

Mrs Butler-Turner explained that it was not up to the former Prime Minister to determine how many officers are assigned to his detail.

"In all fairness, I think that the honourable member for Golden Gates should acquaint himself with national security because it is the Ministry of National Security that determines how many police are deployed, whenever - not the former Prime Minister," she said.

Her remarks immediately prompted a response from Bain and Grants Town MP and current National Security Minister, Dr Bernard Nottage.

"I wonder," he asked, "if the member would inform us who determines what security is required for ministers and others."

Mrs Butler-Turner replied: "As I said, that decision is made from the governing side."

Dr Nottage persisted: "The assignment of policemen to cover the former Prime Minister - (the National Security Minister has) nothing do with it.

"I'm Minister of National Security, as far as I know, and it is not true that the Minister of National Security determines the police detail for the Prime Minister. That is absolutely untrue. For the Prime Minister or the former Prime Minister."

House Speaker Kendal Major then interrupted the argument to ask Mrs Butler-Turner to withdraw her remarks.

Mrs Butler-Turner said that she hated to "carry this on (but) at the end of the day, everybody knows the Commissioner of Police reports every week, directly to the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Security with regards to whatever is happening.

"So if the Minister of National Security is denying his responsibility then maybe he needs to consider vacating his position," she suggested.

Her remarks were met with jeers from the Government side. Dr Nottage repeated his position.

"Let's deal with the truth," he said. "It is not my responsibility as Minister of National Security to determine the police detail of the Prime Minister or any other Minister.

"That was not my responsibility and that's the point I'm making and I don't believe it was any other Minister of National Security's responsibility. So let the member speak the truth and if she doesn't know the truth, let her shut up about it."

Speaker Major reprimanded Dr Nottage's last remark. "I would prefer you not to use that kind of language," he told Dr Nottage. Turning again to Mrs Butler-Turner, he asked her to withdraw her statement.

Mrs Butler-Turner, however, continued to push her original point.

"The member for Golden Gates said, and I quote, there are four detailed police officers to the former Prime Minister," she said.

"The former Prime Minister has no say on how many people are detailed to him and that is a fact. So he needs to speak to that and I stand by what I have said - that the detail of various cabinet ministers has increased and I do not take that back."

Responding, Dr Nottage said her note that personal detail has increased is not the point he takes issue with.

"She made an allegation that the Minister of National Security determines who covers the Prime Minister - the former Prime Minister - that is the only point I'm dealing with at this stage," he said.

"There are other things she said that I will deal with at another time."

After another request from the Speaker to withdraw her statement, the Long Island MP relented.

"I have no problem withdrawing," Mrs Butler-Turner said. "If I am mistaken, I admit my mistake but the fact is, the details have increased."

When asked who assigns police security for prime ministers, former National Security Minister Tommy Turnquest said the responsibility lies with the Commissioner of Police.

Commissioner Ellison Greenslade could not be contacted to confirm how many security officers have been assigned to former prime minister Hubert Ingraham.