By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Deputy Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

WHILE insisting he is neither xenophobic nor racist, Pineridge MP Rev Fredrick McAlpine said he has no regrets about comments he made criticising his own party's plan to accommodate Dominicans following the destruction Hurricane Maria caused in Dominica.

Despite criticism sparked by his remarks, the backbench MP said he saw nothing wrong with asking critical questions, which he said should not be mistaken as him being at odds with the Free National Movement.

On Wednesday, in a blistering attack on the government's plan, Mr McAlpine said once Dominicans experience a "better standard of living" in The Bahamas, they may not be inclined to return to their country.

He further recommended wealthy Cabinet ministers take money from their own pockets to contribute to the island's restoration efforts rather than give Dominicans safe haven here.

Mr McAlpine also appeared to take a swipe at Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis, who cried as he spoke of the decimation in Dominica, saying he is crying for his own people.

Yesterday, he continued on the same track as he did on Wednesday and suggested the government give a financial gift to the county in addition to sending some Bahamians there to rebuild Dominica and paying them to do it.

This he indicated should be done instead of allowing Dominican students and others into the country.

"What was so wrong or asinine about the comment? Me saying that I think the Commonwealth of The Bahamas should assist those people in Dominica but we should take a view as to how we will assist them?" he told reporters yesterday in the foyer of the House of Assembly.

"You are asking me to let people into the country. I want to know how many people are going to be let into the country? Are these people healthy? Who's coming with these people? How much money is it going to cost the Bahamian people? Will Bahamian jobs be at stake as a result of these people coming in?

"Those are commonsensical questions that should demand straight forward answers.

"I am not xenophobic neither am I a racist. I am a nationalist. The Bahamas is for Bahamians and at the end of the day while we appreciate that in order to build this country we are going to need people outside the country coming to assist us, but The Bahamas was built for Bahamians. That's not being xenophobic. I am just a person who loves The Bahamas and believes that Bahamians should be first priority in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas," Mr McAlpine also said.

Asked whether he was concerned his comments would be seen by some as him standing opposed to his party, Mr McAlpine rejected this perception.

"My party boasts about being liberal to the point that they're able to allow its members of Parliament to be free. The Free National Movement was built upon democracy and being able to speak one's mind and convictions.

"I support the Free National Movement.

"Listen, let's just get practical. People live in one house and have different opinions. But does it mean that they hate each other or they're against each other?

"We live in a time where people have the right to critical thinking. I am just being critical of my thoughts and trying to be protective of the country God has placed me in. I wasn't born in Trinidad (or) in Dominica. I wasn't born in Haiti or Turks and Caicos. God allowed me to be born here on November 20, 1965. The Bahamas is all I know. This is where I was born. Am I wrong because I am saying, hey we can help folks, but how are we going to help these folks?

"I'd also add. My suggestion has always been monetarily, why not give them financially and allow some of our Bahamian people to go down there and work and if you going to pay anybody pay our Bahamian people to go down there and work and they still have the money and it's still in the Bahamian economy?"

He also said: "I hate to bring this up but let's look at it. We are talking about perhaps bringing students from Dominica here.

"What about the people who've been here and can't get their children in school and we are making it so rigid even for them to get in school and they are here. So, I think we have to be fair we have to be balanced, all I am trying to do is strike a balance," Mr McAlpine said.