Free National Movement (FNM) Chairman Darron Cash doesn’t believe the party focused more on the controversy surrounding Peter Nygard, instead of the actual stem cell legislation.
The chairman said this while speaking to Jones and Co. host Wendall Jones during his appearance on the programme.
Mr. Cash said despite people only seeing the ‘blow-up’ over Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard’s interest in stem cell research being done in The Bahamas, FNM Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis actually gave detailed reasons as to why the party disagrees with passing legislation for the medical practice.
“In reality, the leader of the opposition essentially said it is supported. But what he did was speak to the question of how to educate people,” he said.
“He spoke to the fact that there are many deficiencies, in terms of how to oversee the structure, how to answer the broader questions like The Bahamas’ position in the international community as a good, safe and reputable place for researchers to do business. He said he’s not comfortable that that structure had already existed.”
“So the government ought to facilitate a broader discussion and analysis. Bring the bill forward and put it to a committee so that they can be an appropriate framework for all of these questions to be answered.”
The FNM leader was suspended from the House of Assembly for two sittings on August 7th after he refused to apologize and withdraw a statement he made concerning Mr. Nygard’s and the prime minister’s relationship.
Since then, members of the government have taken the Opposition to task over the debacle surrounding Mr. Nygard.
Both the FNM’s deputy leader and chairman have openly supported the legislation, which was eventually passed that same day.
FNM Deputy Chairman Brensil Rolle defended the party saying that they never brought Mr. Nygard in the discussion, but that he allowed the PLP government to drag him in it.
“The FNM never deflected to Nygard,” he said.
“Mr. Nygard himself and the PLP government allowed Mr. Nygard to inject himself into the discussion.”
“The FNM doesn’t have any difficulty with stem cell or stem cell legislation. What the FNM and hundreds of Bahamians were offended by was the fact that a non-Bahamian was giving an impression to people that this was for him.”
Mr. Christie made the announcement that Mr. Nygard was helping the government with bringing stem cell researchers to The Bahamas while making remarks at the Jones Communication Network’s ’40 Under 40’ awards.
