Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham defends the integrity of parliamentary commissioner Errol Bethel

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PM: Christie ‘unmanly’


As Parliamentary Commissioner Errol Bethel focuses his attention on the creation of a new voters register, he has become the center of a growing firestorm, with Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham last night calling Opposition Leader Perry Christie ‘cowardly’ and unmanly’ for the Progressive Liberal Party’s recent ‘attack’ on Bethel.

The Free National Movement’s statement quoting Ingraham — who is in Barbados to attend the state funeral of the late Prime Minister David Thompson — came nearly one month after the PLP said it noted with ‘great alarm’ that the government was retaining the services of ‘discredited’ Errol Bethel as parliamentary commissioner.

The PLP said, “The Election Court criticized the parliamentary commissioner in the Pinewood case, where it was found that the egregious errors in the register threatened the ‘integrity of the electoral process’ and ‘the fundamental basis of our parliamentary democracy’.

“The scathing criticism in the Pinewood case was sufficient in our view to (at the very least) cause the parliamentary commissioner to be transferred to another post. Most recently the same parliamentary commissioner was criticized by the Election Court in the Elizabeth case.”

But the FNM statement said, “The PLP’s latest attack on the integrity of the parliamentary registrar is the latest gimmick by a desperate and frustrated party. Despite their attempts to disguise their massive incompetence in office and reckless irresponsibility in opposition, the facts speak louder than the PLP’s empty words. “

Prime Minister Ingraham noted that though issued in the name of the PLP, Christie had to accept full responsibility for the ‘distortions’ in the release.

In its release, the PLP said, “We agree that the fairness of the electoral process and our democracy is under threat.

“But despite this the FNM intends to retain Mr. Bethel. We believe that the holder of the office of parliamentary commissioner should be beyond reproach and also beyond the appearance of reproach. Unfortunately, despite the statements of the Election Court and the admissions of Mr. Bethel, the FNM doggedly intends to retain Mr. Bethel in the same way the prime minister refused to accept the resignation of the minister of the environment (Earl Deveaux).

“The current parliamentary commissioner should be transferred, in the public interest, and a new and competent parliamentary commissioner appointed so as to ensure the integrity of the registration process and of the register.”

But in the FNM’s statement, the prime minister observed that Bethel was first appointed to the Parliamentary Registration Department under a PLP administration.

Bethel held the position of parliamentary commissioner in 1997 when the FNM was re-elected to office, in 2002 when the PLP was elected, and remained in the post during the 2007 general election, when the FNM was re-elected.

Ingraham emphasized that the PLP had no prior objections to Mr. Bethel. He noted that the PLP had not sought to replace Bethel ahead of the 2007 general election, which was organized and run on its watch.

According to the FNM’s statement, “Ingraham lamented that it was cowardly and unmanly for Mr. Christie to attempt to shift blame for his inaction, laziness and failures in office to a dedicated public servant.

“It was Mr. Christie who was solely responsible for disregarding and ignoring the constitutional requirements regarding the timely appointment of the Boundaries Commission.

“It was Mr. Christie and his party who were late again in redrawing constituency boundaries. It was Mr. Christie and the PLP who were late in presenting the Commission’s report to Parliament.”

The FNM statement said the reality is that in a 15 year period during which three general elections were held, the only time that confusion developed with the parliamentary registrar was on Christie’s watch.

Still, the PLP continues to blame Bethel for the confusion in the preparation of the 2007 parliamentary register, it added.

“The prime minister reminds Mr. Christie, who should know better, that the parliamentary commissioner has no ability to influence the timing of the appointment of the Boundaries [Commission] or the redrawing of the boundaries or the Commission’s report to Parliament,” the FNM said.

Ingraham reiterated his confidence in the commissioner and his staff.

The prime minister said that if the PLP believes it left a clean parliamentary register in place in 2007, the FNM would be happy to hold new elections on the existing register.

11/3/2010

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