Dear Editor,
There has been much discussion about the statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Leader of Government Business in the Senate A J Nicholson made in the Senate concenring 'flexi rape'. Rightly, there has been widespread condemnation of the minister for this remark.
What is frightening, however, is the deafening silence of the female members of the Senate on the Government side — Sandrea Falconer, Angela Brown-Burke, Imani Duncan-Pryce and Sophia Fraser-Binns.
Only recently when the matter of a quota for women in Parliament was being debated, Sandrea Falconer, the minister with responsibility for information, was heard loudly condemning a Jamaica Labour Party senator who had, in 2012, criticised the large Cabinet as providing 'jobs for the girls'.
This statement which was made at the time of the appointment of the present Cabinet, two-and-a-half years ago, was still being referred to by Falconer in a condemnatory manner. Yet, not a word from her regarding the flexi-rape comment by one of her own. Falconer will not have the moral authority to comment on similar matters in the future.
Bruce Patterson
Portmore, St Catherine
brucepatterson5@yahoo.com
Why so quiet, Minister Falconer?
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There has been much discussion about the statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Leader of Government Business in the Senate A J Nicholson made in the Senate concenring 'flexi rape'. Rightly, there has been widespread condemnation of the minister for this remark.
What is frightening, however, is the deafening silence of the female members of the Senate on the Government side — Sandrea Falconer, Angela Brown-Burke, Imani Duncan-Pryce and Sophia Fraser-Binns.
Only recently when the matter of a quota for women in Parliament was being debated, Sandrea Falconer, the minister with responsibility for information, was heard loudly condemning a Jamaica Labour Party senator who had, in 2012, criticised the large Cabinet as providing 'jobs for the girls'.
This statement which was made at the time of the appointment of the present Cabinet, two-and-a-half years ago, was still being referred to by Falconer in a condemnatory manner. Yet, not a word from her regarding the flexi-rape comment by one of her own. Falconer will not have the moral authority to comment on similar matters in the future.
Bruce Patterson
Portmore, St Catherine
brucepatterson5@yahoo.com
Why so quiet, Minister Falconer?
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