By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FNM Chairman Michael Pintard yesterday criticised Fox Hill MP Fred Mitchell for showing “continuous disrespect for Bahamian female politicians” after his scathing critique of Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner.

Mr Pintard said Mr Mitchell’s verbal attacks seem to suggest that Mrs Butler-Turner was out of line for criticising the government because she is a woman. Mr Pintard said rather than “denigrate women,” the minister of foreign affairs and immigration should “use the oratorical skills he has” to instead “challenge them and their male counterparts on the basis of their ideas.”

Mr Pintard also refuted Mr Mitchell’s previous suggestions that Long Island has not flourished under Mrs Butler-Turner’s representation because of her attitude towards the ruling Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).

He added that opposition MPs should not have to approach the government “on bended knees or lying prostrate asking for you to fulfil what is a part of your governmental function.”

Rising to the defence of Mrs Butler-Turner yesterday, Mr Pintard said Mr Mitchell displays the “classic signs of a typical bully: willing to attack and then retreat to a safe haven where he does not have to engage in real time back and forth discussion with persons who are minded to meet his challenge or challenge him.”

He added: “Mr Mitchell in his statements seemed to permit or make the point that when men are assertive, when men are prepared to fight for the causes they value, that it is okay. But when a woman is prepared to be assertive and forceful in sharing important views or confronting, in this case, a stubborn government, she is characterised as warlike and bellicose. It is an unfortunate characterisation that speaks to a deeper mindset held not just by Mr Mitchell but a number of men in his party and unfortunately in our wider society. And it is a view that ought to change.

“Mr Mitchell’s remarks fly in the face of a simple fact: he is hired like his colleagues by the people of the Bahamas and they are being rewarded for doing so. Therefore (Mrs Butler-Turner) has no special obligation to behave in the manner being prescribed for her by Minister Mitchell, which we interpret as ‘being quiet even when the Progressive Liberal Party is failing to act in the interest of our people’. She has no obligation to do so. She has every right and she has an obligation to challenge them to live up to their responsibilities and to the promises that they made.”

Mr Pintard also refuted Mr Mitchell’s previous suggestions that if Mrs Butler-Turner had “the right attitude” in her interactions with the Christie administration, she could better secure government assistance for Long Island.

“Mr Mitchell suggests that one way to get assistance from this government is simply not to challenge them, not to speak truth to power,” he said. “That is not an option for the FNM and we applaud (Mrs Butler-Turner) for continuing to stand up. But while I say the Progressive Liberal Party does not support those communities that appears not to support them, if I were to tell a rounded story, I would have to admit that they don’t even support the communities that have historically supported them, and a perfect example is to look at the over the hill communities that have supported them for decades. These are the issues that Minister Mitchell should be talking about.”

The war of words began after Mr Mitchell hit out at the Long Island MP during a visit to her constituency last Saturday and suggested to residents that the island has not flourished under her representation because of its MP’s attitude toward the government.

Then on Tuesday, Mr Mitchell slammed Mrs Butler-Turner again for being “bellicose” and “warlike”, suggesting that the former FNM deputy leader is not “skilful” enough to secure government assistance for her constituency.

Mrs Butler-Turner has called his comments a “vile and disgraceful” declaration that the PLP has victimised Long Island residents for years.

She said Prime Minister Perry Christie should fire the “undemocratic, vicious and petty” minister of foreign affairs and immigration for this blatant admission.