The two Members of Parliament involved in that heated exchange in the House of Assembly’s gallery on Wednesday apologised prior to debate continuing on the 2013/2014 Budget debate.

On Wednesday, Free National Movement (FNM) Deputy Leader, Loretta Butler-Turner slapped Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins across the face.

During House proceedings Thursday, she apologised to the Bahamian people and to the world.

“One of the things I’ve reminded of is that I’ve always been taught Christian values and principles and I’m also reminded that many times people do not know when God and sinners reconcile,” she said.

“I am human. I am fallible and obviously I was in a position [Wednesday] that was not a good position and one that I would not like to present to the public especially to our young people and to those people who look up to us and me. I offer my sincere apologies to the young people of The Bahamas, the women and men of The Bahamas and to the world for whatever behaviour. I felt compelled to say this because if you look at the newspapers they all have a story.”

She never apologised to Dr. Rollins directly.

Mrs. Butler-Turner said Dr. Rollins assaulted her and insisted that she acted in self-defence.
“As I was leaving the chambers today because of the corrections I was making to the Member of Parliament for MICAL during his intervention and the point of orders that were then made because of it, I think you would find that because they are on the governing side, they always think that they can outshout the minority,” she told the Bahama Journal on Wednesday.
“In reaching the bar, he said some very despicable things to me and I walked away. And I must agree that I also repeated some things to him. But as we got to the top of stairs, he put his arm around me pretending to be embracing me but saying some very horrific things in my ear and when he did not remove his arm while saying those things I slapped him.”
Dr. Rollins apologised as well.

“I am compelled to apologise to the constituents of Fort Charlotte for any perceived wrong on my part,” he said in the House on Thursday.

“It is never meant to cause the people of Fort Charlotte any embarrassment. I am very sensitive to the importance of women in our society and the important example that I should be setting in my interactions with all Bahamians as well as women. I would like for the record to state that at no time did I make any lewd remarks to the member for Long Island. Unfortunately there was a feeling that there was a need to get in front of the matter from a public relations standpoint.”

Dr. Rollins said it is “most regrettable” that what happened, happened in the way that it did.

“I will do nothing further to cause for it distract from the very important business as we debate the budget for 2013/2014,” he said.

House Speaker, Dr. Kendall Major thanked both members for their apologies.

“I am satisfied that after speaking with the individuals and the leaders of this honourable place that the matter has been dealt with satisfactorily,” he said.

“Both members and all of us have pledged a solemn oath to our God and the Bahamian people that we will conduct ourselves in a manner befitting that of the word honourable.”