MINISTER Lanisha Rolle must pay back the government for commemorative pins bearing her image handed out at a Youth Parliament event. Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis admitted yesterday that the controversial medals featuring the picture of the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture should not have been paid for by the government. Dr Minnis said in the House of Assembly yesterday that the minister will reimburse the government $582.40. Dr Minnis said: “In view of what has been personalised, because it was a personal picture on the medal, the government shouldn’t have paid for anything that was personalised, therefore the minister will reimburse the government.” Social media erupted this week when the Lanisha Rolle pin surfaced online – the medals were given to young people who participated in Youth Parliament last month. The pin was supposed to be a commemorative coin during a courtesy call of the youth parliamentarians.

NATIONAL Insurance Board (NIB) workers have voted almost unanimously to take strike action. Ghion Roach, the president of the workers’ union, the Union of Public Officers (UPO), said Friday’s ballot was overwhelmingly in favour of a strike. In an interview with The Tribune, Mr Roach said the Nassau count was 229 voting “yes” with just one “no”. He added the count from the Family Islands should “trickle in over the next few days”. He said: “The minister has agreed to restart negotiations this week, we will see where it goes from there. (If) things go left, we’ll be back at (protesting) again, but we will work with management for now.” Last week, the employees of the NIB were on “work to rule” after their strike vote was deemed invalid.

HOUSE Speaker Halson Moultrie launched a 32-minute attack against the media in the House of Assembly yesterday, declaring at the start of the sitting that he is prepared to lead reporters to Jesus if they target him. This comes after he forced a reporter last week to delete a photo taken in the chamber of Exuma and Ragged Island MP Chester Cooper, who was making a contribution to a debate. Speaker Moultrie, who said the photo was taken contrary to House rules, then criticised the quality of the Press. It is unusual for speakers to use their seat in the chamber to answer critics outside Parliament. Throughout his polemic, Speaker Moultrie discussed matters without origin in any ongoing parliamentary debate, even referring to Englerston MP Glenys Hanna Martin’s challenge to Philip “Brave” Davis’ leadership of the Progressive Liberal Party in 2017 as he defended himself.

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has defended the government’s decision to send Royal Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Tellis Bethel on three months’ vacation leave, saying despite the move, all “throttles” have been pushed to ensure recovery continues on storm-torn islands. “I don’t think that will compromise anything,” Dr Minnis said. He was asked to respond to criticism over newly appointed Deputy Commander Raymond King serving as acting RBDF commander while Commodore Bethel is on leave. Some observers say the move comes at too delicate a stage in the post Hurricane Dorian process. On Sunday, Progressive Liberal Party Leader Philip “Brave” Davis questioned if work in Abaco and Grand Bahama would be compromised. He said the decision was proof the Minnis administration did not have a substantive plan for those islands.