Gray defends PM on gambling vote

The Nassau Guardian

Gray defends PM on gambling vote

Agriculture Minister V. Alfred Gray yesterday strongly defended Prime Minister Perry Christie against criticisms by former PLP Minister A. Loftus Roker, who said recently Christie should resign for spending more than a million dollars on a gambling referendum and ignoring the results.

Gray said everyone makes mistakes.

“In my view, I am sorry that such a distinguished former minister of the government sought to use the medium that he used to seek to bring low the esteem of our prime minister,” he said while contributing to debate on the 2014/2015 budget in the House of Assembly.

“That’s not necessary. It wasn’t called for and despite how he feels about the prime minister, he is the prime minister and he is the people’s prime minister and there is no perfect man.

“…[Christie] admitted that maybe he shouldn’t have done it, but that’s hindsight. But you see, Mr. Speaker, there is nobody who made every decision and it turned out the way he wanted or she wanted it.

“That’s not a reason to castigate people because, Mr. Speaker, as long as you try there is a possibility to fail. It’s when you do not try that you cannot fail. Everybody who tries will sometimes fail, but when you keep trying, that’s what makes the difference between a real man and an imposter.”

Before the referendum, Christie pledged to abide by the results. Most of the people who voted, voted against the regulation and taxation of web shops.

In his budget communication two weeks ago, Christie confirmed that web shops will be taxed as of July 1, 2014.

In an interview with The Guardian’s National Review on May 30, Roker said, “He (Christie) shouldn’t have gone to referendum, because he wanted the referendum to say yes. The referendum said no.

“If I were prime minister, I would resign. If I reached that point. I made a mistake and I would pay for it. I would resign.

“...You just can’t keep making mistakes and say I’m sorry...”

Gray added that Roker should have called Christie and personally expressed his opinion on the matter.

“I think the brother wanted a headline for a moment,” said Gray, who charged that The Nassau Guardian allowed itself to be used by Roker.

But Roker offered his comments only after he was contacted by The Nassau Guardian and asked his views on the implications of ignoring the will of the people.

His statements have drawn widespread reaction in and outside political circles and have been referred to several times during the budget debate.

Responding to a question from a Nassau Guardian/NB12 reporter at the Labour Day Parade last week Friday, Christie addressed the matter briefly.

He said Roker knows what he thinks of him and suggested that in time he will tell the public his thoughts about the former minister.

In the House of Assembly on Tuesday, Christie said he stands by his decision to regulate and tax web shops despite the poll results.

He said the decision was in the “national interest”.

In January, Christie told The Nassau Guardian he regretted going to referendum and should have regulated web shops upon coming to office in 2012.

 

Response

In the House of Assembly yesterday, Gray also suggested that Roker’s comments were not the kinds of statements that would be made by an Acklins man.

Both Gray and Roker are from Acklins.

While the minister was highly critical of Roker, his colleague, Minister of Immigration and Foreign Affairs Fred Mitchell, said at Roker’s age he should be allowed to say anything he wants.

Mitchell was responding to Montagu MP Richard Lightbourn, who referred to Roker’s comments on Tuesday as he called on Christie to explain why he decided to go against the will of the people.

Mitchell accused Lightbourn of trying to use Roker’s words against the government.

“Let me warn him,” said Mitchell during the budget debate yesterday afternoon. “Don’t go there. You see, the way I look at comments by men like Loftus Roker is like the way my dad used to talk to me. He could tell me anything he liked as he was my dad. And so you just don’t get in that. Just leave that alone.

“...At his age and stage he can say what he likes. But I also know that right now I am in the seat and it is our colleagues’ right to govern no matter who says what.”

Roker is 78.

 

 

 

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