During a back-and-forth with Marathon MP Jerome Fitzgerald in the House of Assembly yesterday, Fort Charlotte MP Dr. Andre Rollins said that the Gaming Bill will return the country back to the days of the United Bahamian Party (UBP).
Rollins was responding to Fitzgerald, who criticized Rollins' contribution on the bill.
Rollins had charged that the government's "hypocrisy" on the gaming issue will be "enough to cause it to be fired at the next general election".
"I'm not sure if the member may be sensing that his own political life is in jeopardy, I don't know, Mr. Speaker," Fitzgerald said in his contribution yesterday.
"Some of us may well lose in the upcoming election and I'm sure some of us will, Mr. Speaker. But it won't be because of this bill.
"If we lose the next election, it won't be because of this bill.
"It'll be because members of Parliament, who are in here, many of us who are on probation - what I mean is this is our first time in here, will not return because the electorate has rejected us.
"If any member in here, including Fort Charlotte, is concerned about the PLP losing, my advice would be to go in their constituency and start working. And if you are working, work harder. So at the end of the day, you can do everything you can to make sure the PLP is successful."
Fitzgerald also gave an analogy that opposing the bill is like opposing a bill that sought to allow Bahamians to drive cars and regulate the speed limit.
After Fitzgerald wrapped up, Rollins rose on a point of order and said the education minister was "misleading the position that I articulated when I gave my own contribution".
Rollins, who was recently fired as chairman of the Gaming Board after he criticized Prime Minister Perry Christie, said he never definitively stated that the PLP would lose the next election over the gaming issue. He opined that he is a member of the PLP, a party that has fought against discrimination.
"But this legislation says that rather than be the progressive party that changed the laws, that allowed Bahamians to be able to access those places that those who didn't look like them could only access, this legislation says that we are going to go back to the days of the UBP," Rollins said.
He charged that his position was editorialized by The Tribune.
"I never said or predicted or declared that the Progressive Liberal Party would lose the next election," he said.
Rollins has said he cannot support the bill as it will continue to discriminate against Bahamians, banning them from gambling in casinos.
But Fitzgerald said he may have misunderstood Rollins when he spoke in the House, "but he predicted during this debate that we would lose the next election".
Fitzgerald went on to say that he has no problem with Bahamians being successful in the country, but as he was, Rollins was heckling him from his seat.
"I heard the member say that I live over Paradise Island," Fitzgerald said. "I work hard for everything I have, Mr. Speaker. And I encourage and I entice and I want every other person in this country to...be successful at everything they do."
Fitzgerald continued that some people just don't want to see black Bahamians succeed.
Rollins attempted to respond to Fitzgerald, but House Speaker Dr. Kendal Major did not allow it.
The Gaming Bill 2014, and accompanying legislation, was passed in the House yesterday with 25 yays, seven nays and five absentees.

JUMP HEADLINE: Rollins said position was editorialized

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