During a meeting that he said lasted more than hour Tall Pines Member of Parliament (MP) Leslie Miller said Monday that at no point was he told that his $1,000 cheque donation to The Bahamas Crisis Centre would be rejected.
The MP who has now received nationwide backlash for joking about domestic abuse, is now questioning the motives of directors at the centre.
Mr. Miller said he met with Crisis Centre officials on Sunday and added that there were no warning signs, no hints and no indication that his peace offering would have been rejected.
In fact, he said the directors even asked him to split the cheque four ways and instead make them out to the four safe houses that take in battered women.
“We had a good meeting,” Mr. Miller said. “So I was of the view that the Crisis Centre could not accept the cheque because we had to cut the cheques and give them to other charities that deal directly with these women.
“At no time did she tell Leslie Miller that she could not accept a cheque based on what had transpired, never. We had a very good conversation…so I was surprised and shocked.”
Over the past several weeks Mr. Miller has been blasted by women’s rights groups for making what he now calls a joke in the House of Assembly about beating an ex-girlfriend as a way to show his love.
The Tall Pines MP has since apologised and attempted to donate $1,000 as an olive branch.
But on Sunday the Crisis Centre sent out a release noting that it was not in a position to accept Mr. Miller’s donation and called it a teachable moment for our nation.
“I’m going to see whether that same lady who called me she would call me to tell me where to write the two cheques. If she doesn’t call, then I think it’s obvious to every Bahamian that this is a political joke that they are trying to pull.
“No one could stop me from giving funds to whoever I please. So the Crisis Centre doesn’t have the authority to tell anyone who to cut a cheque to. But I am interested in this and not because of the Crisis Centre. My [mother] is a woman, get real. I have two daughters, each one has three children. I have a commitment as a Member of Parliament. I have spoken out more firmly to women’s rights than anyone in that Parliament, check the records.”
Mr. Miller said despite public perception, he finds nothing funny about domestic abuse or abuse against children.
In fact he brought a copy of Sunday’s Miami Herald that chronicles the deaths of hundreds of American children who were killed in dysfunctional homes.
Back at home, at online petition is circulating, calling for the prime minister to publicly apologise for the incident.
Three human rights groups are set to stage peaceful demonstration this Wednesday in Rawson Square.
“These little fringe groups, all of a sudden they have this compassion, compassion for who,” he asked. “Compassion for whom? For themselves to get cheap publicity? Let them go on Bay Street and march I’ll be right there marching with them. They don’t scare me.
“I’ve already apologised. What do they want me to do, kill myself to make them feel good? Get a life.”
