By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

PLP MPs Ryan Pinder and Dr Andre Rollins clashed repeatedly last night in the House of Assembly as debate over the mid-year budget continued.

Tension built between the pair, who sat side by side in the lower chamber, after Mr Pinder suggested that Dr Rollins did not have a full grasp of financial concepts, and had prepared his earlier contribution with the assistance of the internet search engine, Google.

Mr Pinder lashed out at Dr Rollins over his stance that National Health Insurance should not be implemented at this time. During his contribution on Wednesday, Dr Rollins said there should be no discussion about NHI until a national lottery was established.

At one point last night, both men were on their feet shouting in a manner that House Speaker Dr Kendal Major likened to a “reality show.”

As Mr Pinder continued his contribution, Dr Major suggested that Dr Rollins move to another seat as the retorts he made while seated were amplified by Mr Pinder’s microphone.

“This is a very unusual situation,” Speaker Major said, “because there is a heckler, a member who is heckling right next to you which is close to the microphone so the chair is going to ask the member for Fort Charlotte (Dr Rollins) if you feel obliged to say a few words, which is generally allowable in this House, the chair would prefer that you sit at another location because it’s a bit too cosy for the chair at this moment.”

Resuming his contribution, Mr Pinder said: “I think many on this side would prefer the same.”

Turning his focus to Opposition leader Dr Hubert Minnis, Mr Pinder said the Killarney MP should be ashamed of himself for the position he put forward during the mid-year debate.

As he made these comments, Dr Rollins could be heard from his seat insulting Mr Pinder.

After Mr Pinder finished his contribution in support of the mid-year budget, Dr Rollins rose to his feet again; however, the Speaker told him to first move two seats down before he spoke.

Dr Rollins said: “It is clear that I was quite irritated and annoyed when I arrived because I take tremendous umbrage in being attacked by personal insults by an individual who purports or who portrays himself as being the most knowledgeable person when it comes to financial services in this country.”

“(Mr Pinder) always complained or criticised the former administration about how poorly they managed financial services yet, under his tenure as minister of financial services, the industry has shrunk.”

Dr Rollins claimed that Mr Pinder portrayed himself as a “financial services genius”, but did nothing to demonstrate any growth in the sector.

“So I take offence,” Dr Rollins said last night, “when you ascribe to me motives that are tantamount to a cursory review of the Internet assuming that I didn’t attempt to do a little more research to at least be able to come to this place and show the respect to this House and the people of this country to justify the time of this place.”

Dr Rollins challenged Mr Pinder to state the errors in his contribution, adding that Sea Breeze MP Hope Strachan, current minister of financial services, had given him a thumbs up sign in approval of his entire contribution.

“So either she (Mrs Strachan) does not know what’s going on or he (Mr Pinder) does not know what’s going.”

However, Sea Breeze MP Hope Strachan immediately denied that she was in full support of Dr Rollins, adding that she intended to answer some of his claims when she made her contribution later in the evening.

When she spoke last night, she rebutted several points Dr Rollins had made about the financial sector, causing Dr Rollins to rise and defend his statements.

The Speaker told Mr Pinder that it was his decision whether he would withdraw his remarks that personally offended Dr Rollins; however, he added that it was not compulsory because the Elizabeth Estates MP did not break any rules.

Mr Pinder did not withdraw his comments.

Despite the Speaker’s comments that it was time to move on, Dr Rollins added: “I take that to say that everything I said yesterday was in fact correct because he cannot say for the record of this House what exactly I said was incorrect and I thank you for proving my point, the former honourable minister for financial services.”