Categorized | National News

Chipman says he’s not a part of the “game”

St. Anne’s Member of Parliament (MP) Hubert Chipman says he will not become a part this “game” the government is playing.

The comments came during a short interview with The Bahama Journal yesterday morning.

Mr. Chipman was asked what he makes of all that has transpired since the public reading of a letter, where he alleges the boundary report he signed as the official opposition’s representative on the Constituencies Commission was different from the one Prime Minister Perry Christie tabled in the House of Assembly.

“I don’t want to comment on that,” he said.

“I was out of the country, I just got it on Saturday, and I don’t know what the position is.”

Following the reading of the letter by House Speaker and Boundaries Commission Chair Dr. Kendal Major, outrage sparked among several MPs.

At the time, Marathon MP and Boundaries Commission member Jerome Fitzgerald strongly condemned Mr. Chipman’s claims as “ridiculous”.

“I want to make it clear that that letter as it relates to the fact that there were any changes to any boundaries after we unanimously signed that report, there were no changes to any boundary whatsoever Mr. Speaker,” he said.

However, FNM MPs Richard Lightbourne and Dr. Andre Rollins took things a step further and requested that the letter be taken to court.

Last Thursday, Supreme Court Justice Ian Winder granted the duo permission to submit Mr. Chipman’s letter to the court.

Following court, Dr. Rollins told reporters he felt Dr. Major breached impartiality.

“I believe that the Speaker has lost any appearance of impartiality or neutrality,” Dr. Rollins said.

“The mere fact that we have per our constitution a commission that requires the speaker to serve as chairman is further proof that the failure to pass the referendum in 2002 that called for a creation of an independent boundaries commission was indeed a disservice to our democracy.”

Mr. Chipman said as far as he is concerned things should “not have reached where it reached.”

“This is a game they are playing,” he said.

“I’m not a part of that game.”

The St. Anne’s MP said he plans to address the situation in the House tomorrow.

Meantime, a judicial review of the constitutionality and legality of the Boundaries Commission’s Report will be heard before Supreme Court Justice Winder this afternoon.

Written by Jones Bahamas

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