In what seems like a theme in the House of Assembly over the past several months, Fort Charlotte MP Andre Rollins has engaged Prime Minister Perry Christie in a war of words.

Weighing in on the ongoing Sandals dispute in the House of Assembly yesterday Dr. Rollins accused the prime minister of nepotism, and claimed that this is why the government has failed to intervene in the ongoing labour dispute between Sandals and their employees.

Dr. Rollins would go on to state that the cousin of the prime minister is a financial consultant to the million-dollar resort and the familial ties show a clear bias in the situation.

“What I’m concerned about is that this is a clear case of union busting where we know there has been some concern for sometime at the lack of interest in Sandals, I’m shocked that there isn’t a greater degree of anger and alarm from the governing side,” Dr. Rollins said.

“I’ve been advised that the prime minister has a very close relative that is a beneficiary of a financial contract with Sandals; I want that to be disabused because it speaks to why it is that Sandals believe that they can get away with this.

“I would like the prime Minster to reject this outright because if it is the case it may in fact imply that there is a conflict of interest that would speak to why the government would allow this to slide.”

Prime Minister Christie took great offence to Dr. Rollins’ accusation and responded by saying he had no knowledge of this information.

“Members of Parliament embarrass me from time to time by the way in which they make scandalous allegations; I do not know the family member in which he is speaking about who has a relationship with Sandals,” he said.

“In all of my discussions with the leadership they have never advised me of such a person but I will find out throughout the course of the day. With respect to my representation of the Bahamian people, I have never compromised my integrity for anybody in that regret, I’ve been a victim of so many malicious statements and rumors and this is just another of them.

“Butch Stewart, the owner of Sandals is fully aware of the prime minister’s position, when it comes to protecting the rights of Bahamians and the rights of the people at Sandals,” Mr. Christie said.

The resort officially closed temporarily yesterday for two months making over 600 workers redundant in the process.