By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE House of Assembly was abruptly suspended yesterday morning after House Speaker Halson Moultrie criticised the Minnis administration, argued with Yamacraw MP Elsworth Johnson and pointedly invited Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis to publicly address his claims about the executive branch’s “disrespectful” treatment of Parliament.

The episode was the latest extraordinary instance of the Speaker confronting members of the governing party, creating the kind of tension that longtime observers say has scarcely been seen in the modern history of the House.

At one point, Speaker Moultrie accused the executive of dragging Parliament around “like a dinghy boat” and he blamed the challenges he faces on “darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places,” a reference to the scriptures.

His 15-minute rant was in response to “disturbing issues” he said emerged since April 30, when parliamentarians and parliamentary staff were asked to be tested for COVID-19.

He said he was disturbed that the results of the tests were not communicated to him or the parliamentary clerk, who is in quarantine after catching COVID-19.

“The most disturbing part for me,” he said, “was to discover that certain persons were called and were notified that they were negative with no conditions attached while others were called and informed that they were negative but they should not attend work or this Parliament until the contact tracing process was complete. There again, no one contacted the Speaker or the clerk with respect to this process.

“One of the members of this staff was called in out of the quarantine that was established by the Speaker and was told that she was protected because of the antibodies that had developed in her system as a consequence of her contracting the virus. She was called in out of the quarantine but after she did the test on Friday, the same person who was called in out of the quarantine, was told she cannot attend at the Parliament and take her seat at the clark’s table even though she was negative.

“That caused me to reflect on the circumstance of September 2020 when that very person had contracted the virus. When the Speaker asked for members to be tested, a new COVID protocol was released by the Cabinet that only those persons who were in the presence of that individual for more than 15 minutes needed to take the test.

“I am concerned because we are dealing with COVID-19 and we cannot be playing games with people’s lives. It was impossible for anyone to determine if they were in the presence of the young staff member who contracted the virus because no one knew that she had it until we got the test but because the Speaker requested that members be tested, a new protocol evolved. The level of disrespect and dishonesty is something that I am severely challenged with because we (are) dealing with COVID-19.”

Speaker Moultrie added: “The result of telling that individual that she cannot attend this Parliament is that the two persons who are considered loyal to the Speaker are denied the right to be in this Parliament while a member from the Cabinet who I just dismissed this morning and notified her and explained to her it has nothing to do with her and that she should not have been dragged into this situation, members of the Cabinet are allowed to come with no conditions after the test but staffers who are loyal to the Speaker—and should be loyal to the Speaker because they understand the Westminster model of governance—are forced out of this Parliament and I am supposed to just sit idly by and accept such circumstance.

“We’re dealing with COVID-19. We cannot appear or be seen to be functioning in this way. How could you call someone and tell them that they are protected because they have the antibodies one week and the next week you call them and tell them even though they tested negative, they cannot attend this Parliament and the Speaker is not appraised of that decision, the Speaker has to go and dig and question and thank God for my legal training I was able to glean answers out of persons as to what is really going on.

“There are many unresolved issues. Matter of fact, it’s time for the staff of this Parliament to be paid their overtime. For four years now, four years, it’s time for this Parliament to pass a resolution so that we can meet in hybrid forms, face to face or virtual. It’s time for the independence of this Parliament, for the executive of the government to stop dragging this parliament around like a dinghy boat.”

Speaker Moultrie abruptly adjourned last week’s parliamentary sitting over issues relating to how the executive branch handled the positive COVID-19 staffer, saying: “If you want war, you can get a war.”

“I don’t want anyone to misconstrue my statement,” he said yesterday. “I’ve seen a lot of responses with respect to me indicating that if you don’t want a war don’t start one. I say that because as far as I’m concerned this is an Ephesians 6:12 moment in this Parliament. This is a matter of light and darkness for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness and spiritual wickedness in high places.

“But I want the young men of Nassau Village and the young men of Kemp Road, young men of Bain Town and Pinewood, I want them to understand that the Speaker is not advocating taking up arms in resolution of these matters because we wrestle not against flesh and blood, it is not a matter of personalities. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, they are not carnal. This country is at a stage where it needs to change.”

Speaker Moultrie then urged Dr Minnis to address his concerns, saying “a lot of persons have been contacting me with respect to the government’s position on this matter dating back to the notice of the clerk contracting this virus.”

He added: “Now, honourable member for Killarney I call on you, speak to the Bahamian people and give the government position on this matter and in particular this matter that happened at the Office of the Prime Minister on the 30th of April, this hatched plan and execution thereof. The people deserve to know and have a plan with respect to that. The chair recognises the honourable member for Killarney.”

Dr Minnis then took to his feet, ignored the Speaker’s plea, and started to talk instead about the bills on the agenda, prompting the Speaker to interrupt him.

“Honourable member for Killarney, I’m not at that stage yet,” Speaker Moultrie said. “I’m still at Speaker’s communication. I’m calling on the honourable member of Killarney to give an explanation to this Parliament and to the people of this country with respect to these issues.

“I’m extending to you this opportunity as leader of this country.”

Dr Minnis said: “Mr Speaker, with all due respect I’ve always been told that communications are not to be contentious and therefore I wish to respond at the appropriate time.”

Speaker Moultrie responded: “I don’t see the contention in this communication. I don’t believe I was contentious. I believe I laid out the facts as they were brought to me.”

Yamacraw MP Elsworth Johnson attempted to raise a point of privilege, citing the Speaker’s comment about dishonesty. Speaker Moultrie, however, rebuffed his points.

Southern Shores MP Frankie Campbell, acting leader of government business in the House, subsequently called for a 15-minute adjournment.

When the House resumed more than a half-an-hour later, Speaker Moultrie moved on to the next item on the agenda. The earlier drama of the morning was not mentioned again.