PLP accuses Premier of drug authotity snub
recommendations of those who should sit on the interim National Drug Authority.
And Opposition Senate Leader Sen. Alex Scott told the Upper House the United Bermuda Party had submitted a subjective list of UBP supporters, including a former MP.
"Contrary to the spirit of the Archibald report to date, the highest office in Government has not been providing full-blooded cooperation,'' he said.
The PLP sent its list, with the names of office manager Mr. Anthony Richardson, Dr. Vincent Bridgewater, banker Miss Pamela J. Martin, Mother of the Year Mrs. June-Ann Furbert, and lawyer Mrs. Michelle Khaldun, last Friday Sen. Scott said.
And he claimed that the Opposition's suggestion of Bermuda Industrial Union credit manager Mr. Calvin Smith or lawyer Mr. Ian Kawaley as chairman was ignored.
"This is not the spirit of the strategy,'' Sen. Scott said, pointing out that the report stated "the organisation must not be seen by Bermudians as the tool of any one political party'' and "the Premier should consult with leaders of the Opposition parties.'' Sen. Ira Philip also accused Government of "shenanigans'' and "the same old political games.'' But UBP Sen. Jerome Dill interjected.
He said he "knew for a fact'' that one of the two PLP suggestions for a chairman was "currently being considered and hasn't been dismissed out of hand. That information is simply not correct.'' Independent Sen. Joe Johnson urged the Premier and the Opposition Leader to meet with the Governor to "hack this out and come up with a non-political authority.'' Social Services Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness, who visited the Senate, later expressed irritation that the Opposition continued to harp on this issue.
He said both the PLP and NLP had been asked by the Premier to submit names for the interim authority "and this they have now done.'' The names suggested by the Premier were not a list of UBP supporters, he said.
"They were people we identified in the country as people who could contribute to this interim authority .. . they were people we view as competent to contribute.'' Senate Leader Sen. Michael Winfield said he believed both the UBP and the PLP felt there were certain individuals who could and should contribute. But the suggestion that each party should be given a specific number of appointments went directly against what Dr. Archibald recommended.