Point of Order! Mr Speaker, I wish to point out that member opposite is misleading the House.

On Friday, March 20, 2015, in the Senate, OBA Senate leader Michael Fahy took liberty to attack my Royal Gazette column printed on March 20, 2015, making the accusation that my comments were “patently false”.

To be more precise, Mr Speaker, “yesterday’s Senate closed with Senator Fahy criticising The Royal Gazette columnist Christopher Famous . . .” (Royal Gazette, March 21, 2015).

Mr Speaker, here is the member’s first accusation.

And I quote, “He (Fahy) also branded ‘patently false’ the column’s statement that he, as minister, had abolished term limits . . .” (Royal Gazette, March 21, 2015).

Did term limits abolish themselves, then? No, Mr Speaker, I contend otherwise. And here is why.

Mr Speaker, I present Exhibit A:

And I quote, “Government yesterday axed the Island’s term limit policy in a move aimed at boosting the economy.

“Announcing the policy change, Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy . . .” (Royal Gazette, January 31, 2013).

Mr Speaker, I present Exhibit B:

And I quote, “Government’s leader in the Upper House, Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy, said term limits would be recognised as ‘a job killer for Bermuda’.

“Senator Fahy said he ‘will not back down’ on Throne Speech promises, even unpopular ones.”

“People who were ‘angry about term limits’ are people who are ‘without jobs — they are looking for someone to place the blame on’, Sen Fahy said.”

“I have got broad shoulders — I can take it,” he added (Royal Gazette, February 21, 2013).

Mr Speaker, it is beyond a shadow of a doubt that the member did indeed abolish term limits.

Mr Speaker, here is the member’s second accusation.

“[. . . ] or that he (Fahy) had amended immigration policy to allow children of work permit holders who were under the age of 19 to obtain summer work without a permit” (Royal Gazette, March 21, 2015).

Mr Speaker, I present Exhibit C:

And I quote, “Dependent Children of Non-Bermudians — new addition that allows children under 19 years of age to work during the summer without the requirement for a work permit.”

“ . . . these young people, like our young people, were too young to spend summers overseas on their own, and regarded themselves as too old for summer day camp. But they were old enough to find a summer job in Bermuda.(Ministry of Home Affairs Draft Policy, released January 13, 2013).

So, Mr Speaker, I ask you, if this policy was drafted by his very own ministry, would not Minister Fahy be responsible for introducing it?

Mr Speaker, I present Exhibit D:

Now, Mr Speaker, for point of clarity, let us examine closely who retracted this draft policy on February 19, 2013.

And I quote, “The Ministry accepts the views that the perceived impact that this change in policy might have is the reduction of available job opportunities for Bermuda’s youth at a time when summer employment is scarce.”

Mr Speaker, it is clear that Minister Fahy was indeed the minister who both introduced this policy and later retracted it in February 2013.

Ministerial Code of Conduct . . .

Mr Speaker, our parliamentarians took an oath to adhere to the Ministerial Code of Conduct which was established to ensure that the voter’s best interests are protected.

The Code clearly speaks to the importance of our elected representatives telling the truth:

“1 (v) It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament . . . Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignations to the Premier.”

Mr Speaker here is a quote from a Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher:

“I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.”

Mr Speaker, if this was Chewstick, I would now drop my mic and take my seat.