By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

KENDAL Pennerman, the police sergeant-at-arms injured during last month’s chaotic mace-throwing incident in the House of Assembly, is still recovering.

Sgt Pennerman, who has diabetes, injured his right leg and left elbow after falling while trying to stop Free National Movement MP Shanendon Cartwright from throwing the mace out of a window. Deputy Speaker Sylvanus Petty, who also intervened during the incident, reportedly suffered a blow to the head.

Photos of Sgt Pennerman lying on a stretcher in an ambulance widely circulated after the incident.

He told The Tribune yesterday that he spent four to five hours in hospital before deciding to recover at home.

“I’m out moving and about,” he said. “I just can’t be on the leg too long, but other than that, I’m coming on.”

He said he expects to return to duty next month and plans to meet with the House of Assembly leadership to discuss his return.

The mace incident led to the suspension of all FNM MPs, except Dr Hubert Minnis, for two sittings of the House of Assembly.

FNM leader Michael Pintard said the group will continue to stand their ground when they return this week and expressed hope that the Speaker will act more fairly.

“The Speaker has not been fair in the way in which she has discharged her duties, and while we hold no anger towards the Speaker, we are disappointed that she doesn’t recognise that she is the leader of one of the three arms of government,” Mr Pintard told reporters last week.

“We are going to stand our ground. We do not expect she’s going to continue the kind of behaviour she has exhibited. We were pulling for her success, and unfortunately, she’s squandering that opportunity. But she has a chance to hit the reset button in this new year and allow the members of the opposition to have our say.”

Speaker Patricia Deveaux said the incident has been referred to Parliament’s Committee on Privilege for further investigation.

The status of the probe is unclear.