Speaker of the House Of Assembly, the Hon. Patricia Deveaux addressed the House on Wednesday concerning the throwing of the mace out of the window by the Member for St. Barnabas, the Hon. Shanendon Cartwright on December 4th and what led to it.

In her remarks the Speaker said, “we cannot in one breath be lawmakers and in that very same breath become lawbreakers.  What message are we sending to our children and the public at large.  When you think about it on a grand scale laws are what hold societies together, without laws you end up in anarchy.”

The Speaker named the six Members Of Parliament found in breach of the rules.  They were Member of Parliament for St. Annes, the Hon. Adrian White; Member of Parliament for Long Island, the Hon. Adrian Gibson; the Member of Parliament for East Grand Bahama, the Hon. Kwasi Thompson; Member of Parliament for Central Grand Bahama, the Hon. Iram Lewis; Member of Parliament for St. Barnabas, Shanendon Cartwright and the Leader of the Opposition and Member of Parliament for Marco City, the Hon. Michael Pintard.

Former Prime Minister and Member for Killarney, the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis, who was not named, left the House before the suspension motion was brought by Leader of Government Business and Member for Freetown, the Hon. Wayne Munroe.   House members voted to suspend the named members for two sittings.

The named members left the House after voting against the suspension motion.  As they exited they all bowed to the Speaker except Pintard, a move the Speaker deemed disrespectful.  Pintard returned to the House chamber and bowed before leaving again.