MP Hinds: I refuse to be drawn into a brawl

He faced some uncharitable barbs from UNC MPs Kelvin Ramnath and Subhas Panday, arising out of a confession that he had used marijuana in the past.  But the deadlocked PNM MP Fitzgerald Hinds gave back as good as he received when he spoke on the Summary Offences Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives yesterday.

As Hinds was criticising statements made by Ramnath during his contribution, Ramnath retorted sharply: “You does snort cocaine. Don’t comment on my contribution”. Hinds ignored the remark, but went on to demoan the unparliamentary and undignified behaviour of the Opposition. “I refuse to be drawn into a brawl,” he said, adding: “One of the things my mother taught me is that you cannot win a spraying match with a skunk”.

Then Hinds moved to a defence of CEPEP noting that the UNC was attacking the social programme. He couldn’t understand why because it was Basdeo Panday who had spoken about social justice. He criticised Panday for saying that when the CEPEP workers finish painting stones white, they would go back to a life of crime. The implication, from Panday, was clearly that all persons employed in CEPEP were criminals, Hinds lamented. But the PNM backbencher said he knew many decent people in CEPEP who never were involved in crime, and who used the programme.  “And I know some persons who never worked in CEPEP, and who are before the court. I saw one just this week,  in the magistrate’s court, walking with a big entourage and a barrage of five attorneys, including two senior counsels”, Hinds said in an obvious reference to Basdeo Panday. The Speaker cautioned Hinds about going in that direction.

Later as Subhas Panday joined the debate, he said Hinds was boasting about being a good lawyer but his brain was calcified.   Panday stated why he believed it was calcified, but the Speaker intervened. “He confessed, Mr Speaker, “ Panday argued. But the Speaker was adamant that an apology should be made and that the statements had to be struck off the record. The UNC MP apologised and said Hinds’ brain was calcified by a virus.