A rancorous House of Assembly is nothing new, according two of the Island’s veteran politicians, but in cases of outright confrontation the Speaker of the House should rein Members in.

After Friday’s session closed with Speaker Randolph Horton shutting down the debate, and Progressive Labour Party MP Zane DeSilva filing a complaint to the police, two long standing public servants from either side of the political divide gave their views.

The Royal Gazette spoke first with former Progressive Labour Party Premier Alex Scott, who cautioned that he was speaking only generally on Parliamentary conduct.

“From what I gather, what transpired on the floor of the House was more or less par for the course — although, I am not aware of the details of the cut and thrust,” Mr Scott said.

Parliaments “here, the UK and elsewhere provide variations on the theme”, he said, adding that there had been some extremes that should not be emulated.

“From what has been related to me, it sounds as if the heat of the debate was carried outside,” Mr Scott said. “That is never to take place, in my opinion. That is a bridge too far. The passion of the debate should not turn into a confrontation outside. Outside of the House there should be a respectful decorum.”

Mr Horton more than once threatened to dismiss MPs from the room during Friday’s session.

Mr Scott said Speakers of the House were well within their right to “show MPs the door”, in Parliamentary parlance.

“I have been present when one, two, even three MPs have been shown the door when the Speaker felt they took the momentum and passion too far.”

On the issue of Mr Horton appearing to lose patience with MPs heckling one another, Mr Scott said he felt the Speaker “can do more, and should”.

“It is deemed to be the Speaker’s House. In that regard, all things flow from there. The Speaker is not supposed to be exasperated to the point of frustration.”

In the wake of an MP being ordered out of the House, Mr Scott said “for a period of time, at least, the decorum returns to a more proper and acceptable level”.

Former United Bermuda Party Minister Quinton Edness said he had never witnessed conduct on the level of Friday’s session in more than 30 years in Parliament.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous that Members would carry on like that. I am absolutely disgusted with Marc Bean, the Leader of the Opposition, apparently making these kinds of comments about women. That’s just not on.”

Mr Edness was referring to remarks Mr Bean was accused of making, off the microphone, directed at the wife of the One Bermuda Alliance’s Sylvan Richards. The exact context of Mr Bean’s remarks has not yet been made public, but Ms Richards had been seated in the public gallery during the debate.

There was subsequently a confrontation among MPs outside, leading to Mr DeSilva’s complaint.

“I am hoping, since it happened on Parliament property, both inside and outside, over which the Speaker has domain, that the Speaker will take action, investigate, find out the culprits and suspend them,” Mr Edness said. “It’s up to the Speaker to take control, and stop that innuendo and other nonsense across the floor.”

Mr Horton made good on his threat to terminate the session as Mr DeSilva, during the Motion to Adjourn, suggested several times that Tourism Minister Shawn Crockwell should resign and the temperature in the room rose.

Mr DeSilva’s remarks included references to “chirping” by Premier Michael Dunkley.

“I understand that Mr Crockwell didn’t get a chance to reply, but it looks as though it was necessary,” Mr Edness said.

“I don’t want to single out anybody, but I think a couple of Members in the Opposition are instigating really bad language,” Mr Edness said. “I believe that within the Party they should take action.”

The former MP said voters were being driven away by the harsh rhetoric.

“People are getting to be disgusted and they’re switching off,” Mr Edness said. “They will lose confidence in Parliament.”