By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has doubled down on his controversial comments questioning whether Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Michael Pintard has ever held a “real job,” saying he still does not know what Mr Pintard has done professionally and insisting it was a fair question.

Speaking on the sidelines of the laying-in-state of former Senator Rodney Moncur, Mr Davis defended his remarks, insisting he was not attacking creatives or non-traditional careers.

“I asked, what was his job? I didn’t know. I still don’t know,” Mr Davis said. “But I now understand he’s saying he was a creative – fine, that’s a job. And I noticed that he’s saying that I’m attacking the creatives. I’m not.”

“If you look at my Blueprint for Change, I’ve said that one of the things I’m going to be developing is the Orange Economy, and we are on the way of doing that,” he added. “I have done more for the Orange Economy than I think he did when he was Minister of Culture.”

Mr Davis continued: “I’m not demeaning the creative arts. In fact, I am a frustrated creative because I play my maracas, try to play my bass, and people will see that. But unfortunately, I thought I was helping him, because I think the main people like to know what he does or has been doing. I think that’s a fair question, so I asked it for them. He just needed to answer it. He didn’t need to make it an issue, but he wants to. We’ll just respond to this.”

The controversy began over the weekend when Mr Davis, speaking at a Progressive Liberal Party Men’s Branch meeting, openly questioned Mr Pintard’s track record and leadership credentials.

“Michael Pintard is not a serious leader,” Mr Davis said during his speech. “He is a seat warmer who answers to the same old forces that failed this country time and time again. What real job has he ever had? What has he ever built? What has he ever managed, outside of press conferences and political complaints?”

Mr Davis also criticised Mr Pintard’s tenure as Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, claiming he failed to meaningfully support the creative sector.

Following the exchange, the FNM launched a social media campaign defending Mr Pintard’s career and background. Meanwhile, members of the public took to social media to criticise Mr Davis’ comments, saying they demeaned artists and workers in non-traditional fields.

Despite the backlash, Mr Davis has held his position, maintaining that his government has done more to advance the creative economy than the opposition ever did.

Responding to the remarks, Mr Pintard yesterday on the sidelines of the laying-in-state casted himself as a proud creator and hard-working Bahamian, saying the Prime Minister’s comments were bigger than a personal attack — they disrespected ordinary citizens across various professions.

“This has nothing to do with Michael Pintard or with the Prime Minister,” he said. “This has to do with us respecting the workers in fast food restaurants, it’s broader than the criticism, its broader than the criticism of the creatives - this was a criticism about the occupation of Bahamians.

“As a student, I worked at McDonald’s. I respect all fast food workers. I worked as a security officer at Britannia. I respect security officers.”