Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said in the House of Assembly late Monday night that he would reject any proposal from the Boundaries Commission to cut out the Bamboo Town constituency, a seat currently held by Democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader Branville McCartney.
McCartney won the seat as a Free National Movement (FNM) member in 2007.  He resigned from the Ingraham Cabinet last year and from the party this year.
"If the committee came back and said to cut Bamboo Town out, I would not accept that because I want him in Bamboo Town," said Ingraham, referring to McCartney.
"I want to meet him in Bamboo Town.  He is not going to carry my things anywhere."
Ingraham then looked at Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) leader Perry Christie and added, "If I can't get it, you will have it."
The prime minister made the comments as he wrapped up debate on the Straw Market Authority Bill.  Earlier in the day, Ingraham announced in the House that the Boundaries Commission had been fully constituted.
The prime minister's comments on Bamboo Town came as an aside and were accompanied by much laughter from him and other members in the lower chamber at the time.
"I don't have any difficulty in talking to the member for Bamboo Town," Ingraham said.
"I told him this afternoon, as I told you before, that Bamboo Town is a nice test case. Here's a case where you (Christie) and I have taken two gentlemen who want to be leaders of The Bahamas and are putting them up as candidates."
Ingraham was referring to former Bahamas Democratic Movement leader Cassius Stuart, who is expected to be the FNM's candidate in Bamboo Town in 2012, and Renward Wells, a former member of the National Development Party, who is the PLP's candidate for the area.
"There's another gentleman there in the person of the member for Bamboo Town who wants to be a leader and we've asked them to fight in their league down there to see which of them is going to come out to become eligible to be leader," the prime minister said.
"I have nothing against Bamboo Town.  You know, when I was younger in here I had hard mouth, but I could back it up.  And I did back it up.  I wasn't just arrogant and 'biggety'.  I was able to back up what I said.
"I looked (then prime minister Sir Lynden) Pindling in the eye and said 'come down, come on down'.  I sat right in the back here.  The entire PLP council sat there.
"I said I will take all of you on and beat you and we did.  I am now speaking to big people," he said, intimating that he did not consider McCartney to be in his or Christie's league.
"I am now speaking to the leader of the opposition, my worthy opponent.  I am not speaking to [any] little splinter group.  In fact, quite frankly Mr. Speaker, I trust that unless something happens that I wouldn't have to mention Bamboo Town (McCartney) again."
McCartney was in the chamber at the time of Ingraham's remarks.

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