New AG defends his staff against

Attorney General John Jeremie gave back as good as he got in the Senate Tuesday as he wound up debate on his first bill presented to the Parliament — the Family Procee-dings Bill and Mediation Bill.

Jeremie upbraided Opposition Senator Wade Mark, whom he accused of launching an attack on public servants. Saying that he had been “totally repulsed” by what he had seen on television of the goings-on in the Parliament prior to becoming Attorney General, Jeremie said however he had “come here voluntarily... and I am prepared to take the abuse. But what I would not tolerate and where I draw the line is the abuse of faceless public servants, who have seen four governments and five Attorneys General, and who work tirelessly day in and day out.”

Mark rose to say that he never attacked the public officers. Jeremie responded that when Mark described the bill as “sloppily drafted,” he (Mark) knew full well that the bill was drafted by public servants. But Mark’s colleague Robin Montano said the AG had to take full responsibility for whatever came to the Parliament in his name. Jeremie stated that he did indeed take full responsibility for the bills, but insisted that he would defend his staff against any insults from the Opposition.