Several opposition MPs who boycotted Monday's sitting of the House yesterday dismissed the criticisms leveled at them in recent days, and hit back at one MP who suggested that they should be penalized as a result of their absence.

All but one Free National Movement MP failed to show up in Parliament.

Central and South Abaco MP Edison Key was the only FNM MP who appeared in Parliament on Monday.

However, his appearance was brief. Key left the House a few minutes after the morning session began and did not return.

The absentee members came under heavy criticism by several government members of Parliament, including Golden Gates MP Shane Gibson who suggested that the absent MPs should have their salaries cut.

That suggestion did not sit well with Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, who said Gibson's suggestion was "nonsense".

"It's amazing what nonsense people will talk when they are talking to themselves," he told The Nassau Guardian yesterday following a tour of Princess Margaret Hospital's Critical Care Block. "

It's quite comical, really, that he would even waste parliamentary breath to suggest something such as that.

"I don't think for one second that they're suggesting that your only function as a parliamentarian is to sit in Parliament.

"There are a lot of other aspects of being a representative that are involved. So we were taking a stand which I feel we were quite justified in doing."

Last week, FNM Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis said every FNM MP would be absent from the House for the duration of his suspension.

Minnis was suspended for two sittings last Wednesday after he defied an order from the speaker to withdraw certain claims he made about Prime Minister Perry Christie and his relationship with Lyford Cay resident Peter Nygard.

When asked what he thought of Gibson's suggestion, Minnis scoffed. "First of all as MPs we are paid $28,000 per year," he said.

"He's talking about paying back, that's about $75 per day.

When we were in government Parliament always started at 10 a.m.

"With this government, Parliament normally starts at 10:30 a.m.

They should pay that money back for lateness."

North Eleuthera MP Theo Neilly, who also commented on the issue, said the PLP MPs should lead by example. "The reality is that they should take the lead," Neilly said.

"[Gibson] should suggest that his members, and I won't call their names, but there are members on his side who have missed four, five, six sittings in a row, so I think they should lead by example."

Neilly said he believes the stance that the FNM is making is the right one.

"I support my leader 100 percent," he added.

"I will stand up for what I believe is right."

East Grand Bahama MP Peter Turnquest said he also agrees that he made the right decision to stand by his leader.

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian