The Nassau Guardian
Miller apologizes for abuse remarks
Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller yesterday apologized for comments he made in the House of Assembly about physically abusing an ex-girlfriend and promised to donate at least $1,000 to the Bahamas Crisis Centre.
“Everyone who knows me knows better,” said Miller on the Guardian Radio talk show ‘Reality Check’ with host Chrissy Love.
“I apologize to every Bahamian woman. You all know the potcake ain’t never let you all down and I never will.”
Miller came under fire after a Nassau Guardian story on Wednesday highlighted comments he made in the House on February 20.
Miller, while comparing the opposition’s love of Bahamian fishermen to that of an abusive relationship, said he too “had a girlfriend like that”.
While laughing, he went on to say, “When I didn’t beat her she used to tell me I ain’t love her no more ‘cause I don’t hit her.”
On two occasions during his speech, Miller was asked if he was joking and he said he was serious.
Following his appearance on the talk show, Miller told The Guardian that his words were not meant to hurt women and were said in jest.
“I am sorry for being misconstrued with the words that I used in indicating to those (Free National Movement) members of Parliament that they were disingenuous when they indicated the love that they had for the Bahamian fishermen.
“...That’s all I was trying to make a comparison of. It was a bad analogy and I apologize. But every Bahamian woman knows that if [there is] one man in this country who loves them and who looks out for them, it is Leslie Miller and that’s never going to change.”
Miller said he will make the donation next Thursday.
“I will donate $1,000 and I will get my colleagues in Parliament to donate,” he said.
“If we can go to $3,000 each we will do that.”
Miller also called in and apologized on the More 94 radio talk show ‘Real Talk Live’ with host Ortland Bodie earlier in the day.
He said that he visited the victim of a hit and run accident every week while she was in the Intensive Care Unit at Princess Margaret Hospital.
In December, a hit and run driver killed a three-year-old baby and injured his mother on St. Vincent Road. Police said yesterday that they still have no leads in the matter.
“Every single week, bar none, I went and visited her, stayed at her bedside for at least half hour and took her flowers, took her Ensure and I was there until she left the hospital [and] went back to Abaco,” Miller said.
“It hurt my heart that a Bahamian could go and knock a lady and her son down and kill him, and today he is still sleeping with a conscience that he took a life. That’s what bothers me, not the this trivial stuff about what I said.”
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