Pintard decries removal from budget debate

Deveaux: Budget debate is not a campaign field

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter 

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net 

TEMPERS flared in the House of Assembly on Friday as House Speaker Patricia Deveaux ordered the removal of Opposition leader Michael Pintard for “obstructing the business of the house” after he refused to yield on a point of order.

The heated exchange ended with opposition members locking arms to prevent Mr Pintard from being removed from the House of Assembly and House proceedings briefly suspended. 

As Mrs Deveaux admonished members that disrespect will not be tolerated, the Free National Movement leader called a press conference and claimed she was displaying bias in the execution of her role. 

During Friday’s Budget Communication, Mr Pintard called for a point of order after West Grand Bahama and Bimini MP Kingsley Smith accused the Free National Movement of failing to brief relief to the residents of Grand Bahama. 

During the point of order, Mr Pintard challenged Mr Smith’s claims about a park in Pine Forest Subdivision in Grand Bahama, listing efforts the party made before the by-election. 

Ms Deveaux interrupted him and questioned the point of order, in which Mr Pintard noted that Mr Smith’s claims were inaccurate. Mr Pintard demanded to be allowed to finish his point repeatedly. 

The House Speaker and Mr Pintard’s feud escalated, with voices raised and house members gesturing for Mr Pintard to step down. 

“I did not make the point. I did not make the point. I did not make the point. I did not make the point. I am going to speak. You are not in a position to lecture me. You are not in a position to lecture me. You are not in a position to lecture me,” Mr Pintard said. 

However, Ms Deveaux hit back: “Listen here! Let me take you to number six on the rule book.” 

“The speaker in the house and the chairman in the committee shall, you understand what that means, shall regulate the conduct of business in all matters not provided for in the rules of procedures. 

“Now I heard you, don’t tell me what isn’t right or wrong, I know what to do here, I heard what you said. You said the member is not factual, okay, now I’m not going to sit here for the next 10, 15, minutes and allow you to list a stream of things that you did. 

"You said he is not factual, you listed that he was not factual, that is on the record, now I want to hear West Grand Bahama finish his speech.” 

Mr Pintard attempted to interrupt the House Speaker's comments again but Mrs Deveaux reiterated that she was the principal officer in the House of Assembly, adding that taking advantage of point of orders will not be tolerated during the budget debate. 

Mr Pintard refused to be seated, which led to the House Speaker engaging the Sargent of Arms to have him removed from the house.

However, Mr Pintard then formed a human barricade with Shanendon Cartwright, Adrian White and Iram Lewis as the officer approached him.

Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly Wayne Munroe called Mr Pintard’s actions “unhinged”, adding that the opposition MPs who attempted to physically block access to Mr Pintard exacerbated the situation. 

“We may not agree with the Speaker’s rulings but we are required to obey the rules. Mr Pintard’s actions appeared more focused on creating a spectacle for political gain rather than engaging in respectful and constructive discourse,” Mr Munroe said in a press statement which bore a parliamentary seal. 

Mr Pintard condemned the use of the seal as a "blatant disregard for the separation of powers" in a later press statement, adding it was exclusively reserved for the House Speaker.

The business of the office was briefly suspended on Friday. Following its return, Ms Deveaux insisted that she would not tolerate “the behaviour that has been exhibited in this place anymore". 

“We can say what we want out there, but when it comes in here, respect is the order of the day and even for the chair. I don't care how you feel about me, but you shall and you will respect the order of this chair and the integrity thereof,” she said on Friday. 

She added that a point of order can be completed in “less than 30 seconds”, adding that the House of Assembly is not a campaign field.

“This is not the first time that the speaker wishes to set some arbitrary timeline, 30 seconds or 15 seconds when we've had members of the governing side who've gotten up and spoken for minutes,” Mr Pintard said during a press conference outside of the House of Assembly on Friday. 

“Minutes of time, meaning that they first get up and comment for minutes and then when we further clarify, they talk further. It cannot be right that the speaker continues to do this, aided and abetted by members, and guided by members of the government, and we're not prepared, I'm not prepared to be subjected to that because it is wrong.” 

Mr Pintard maintained that he is entitled to correct the record.