Dear Editor,
I was deeply disappointed and hurt by comments made by some members of the Government regarding the race of the leader of the Opposition at the February 11 sitting of the House of Representatives.
The fact that members of the People's National Party (PNP) would seek to question the race of the leader of the Opposition is something we should all reject. Having "African blood" running through your veins does not make you more or less of a Jamaican. In any event, the Opposition leader is a Jamaican man "born and bred" in Spanish Town, St Catherine, and is proud of his history and heritage.
Andrew Holness is from humble beginnings, growing up in a board house on Cumberland Road in Spanish Town and suffering through many of the struggles that most Jamaicans face on a daily basis.
Jamaicans should reject this race politics that the PNP has constantly played. They constantly try to make it seem that they are more Jamaican than anyone else and this must stop. Jamaica will not move forward if we have a political party that is so antiquated in its thinking that it believes that the people of Jamaica will fall for their race baiting.
Jamaicans of all races, religion and creed have sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we now enjoy, true to our motto "Out of Many, One People".
I am troubled that none of the senior members of the PNP stopped this conduct, so unworthy of the Houses of Parliament, which could mean that they agree with this tactic.
As the Opposition, we condemn this behaviour and will not remain silent while the PNP continues dividing the country with these underhanded race remarks. Jamaica deserves better.
Olivia "Babsy" Grange
Opposition Spokesperson on Culture
No more race politics!
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I was deeply disappointed and hurt by comments made by some members of the Government regarding the race of the leader of the Opposition at the February 11 sitting of the House of Representatives.
The fact that members of the People's National Party (PNP) would seek to question the race of the leader of the Opposition is something we should all reject. Having "African blood" running through your veins does not make you more or less of a Jamaican. In any event, the Opposition leader is a Jamaican man "born and bred" in Spanish Town, St Catherine, and is proud of his history and heritage.
Andrew Holness is from humble beginnings, growing up in a board house on Cumberland Road in Spanish Town and suffering through many of the struggles that most Jamaicans face on a daily basis.
Jamaicans should reject this race politics that the PNP has constantly played. They constantly try to make it seem that they are more Jamaican than anyone else and this must stop. Jamaica will not move forward if we have a political party that is so antiquated in its thinking that it believes that the people of Jamaica will fall for their race baiting.
Jamaicans of all races, religion and creed have sacrificed their lives for the freedoms we now enjoy, true to our motto "Out of Many, One People".
I am troubled that none of the senior members of the PNP stopped this conduct, so unworthy of the Houses of Parliament, which could mean that they agree with this tactic.
As the Opposition, we condemn this behaviour and will not remain silent while the PNP continues dividing the country with these underhanded race remarks. Jamaica deserves better.
Olivia "Babsy" Grange
Opposition Spokesperson on Culture
No more race politics!
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