Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell said he has every right as a Cabinet minister and Member of Parliament to visit any constituency in the country whenever he wants.
Minister Mitchell’s comment came yesterday following Long Island MP Loretta Butler-Turner’s objection to his visit to her constituency over the weekend.
He pointed out that Mrs. Butler-Turner has visited his constituency in Fox Hill several times, which contradicts her objection to his visit.
“The point I wanted to make generally is for her edification and the public’s,” he said.
“I am a Member of Parliament for the Commonwealth of The Bahamas. That means anywhere in The Bahamas is home and you can go anywhere. Mrs. Butler-Turner herself has been in the Fox Hill constituency if not once, twice for official meetings held by her political party. Presumably, she was there to try and get their candidate elected and stop me from getting elected. So, God bless her if she can stop me from going into Long Island wherever I want.”
The minister said his ties with Long Island came in long before Mrs. Butler-Turner was elected as the island’s MP.
In fact, he said, he has been associated with the island for nearly 40 years.
“My party introduced me through its representative Philip Smith, back in 1977 when I was the director of News and Public Affairs for the Broadcasting Corporation of the Bahamas,” said the minister.
“I went down there in 1982 when Sir. Lynden Pindling asked me to serve as the National General Council member for South Long Island or Clarence Town constituency as it then was for the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP). From that day to this, every year, I have gone to Long Island to see friends and foe alike door to door with a man named Captain Archie Marie. I did nothing different this year. Why does it now matter?”
Minister Mitchell said his visit was solely to figure out the main issues on the island to assist with solving them.
He said he has been an opposition MP before and even though the party may not be in power when being skilful, there are still ways that you can get things done to better your constituency.
The back and forth between both MPs came after Mrs. Butler –Turner attacked Mr. Mitchell and Minister of Labour and National Insurance Shane Gibson for negative statements they made publicly about Baha Mar CEO Sarkis Izmirlian.
