Dear Editor,
While conducting the keynote speech at the 6th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora conference in New York on Thursday, March 26, 2015, a member of the gay community interrupted Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller's speech and started peppering her with questions. She visibly became agitated and she then retorted, "Nobody never hear the Government of Jamaica beating up gays; not one! Let me tell you something: You want to disturb, you can disturb, but this woman come here with the blood of Nanny of the Maroons and the spirit of Marcus Mosiah Garvey; and this woman is not afraid of no man, nowhere, anywhere, and I will speak the truth everywhere."
Her verbal response and body language was unstatesmanlike on the world stage. She must know that she must conduct herself with dignity on every occasion. By her response to the heckling by gay community members, it makes her appear that she is combative and is prepared, at any moment, to engage in a knock-down, drawn-out fist battle, which probably made her handlers cringe. She did not show any diplomacy or decorum, and this type of behaviour is unbecoming of a political leader in a country that values free speech. The way she reacted to the questions posed was as if she was conducting one of her usual fire-spitting political campaign speeches. Her handlers must ensure that this doesn't happen again on the world stage and, in order to mitigate this, they may need to refer her to charm school/finishing school, which assists with training in social graces and how to conduct oneself as a leader, especially under pressure.
Heckling leaders is not rare, and is par for the course in the political sphere, especially in America. I am of the view that her handlers failed at the task of preparing her beforehand, so that she would be ready to respond in a decent manner if situations like this occurred, especially in a country where its citizens are not afraid to be vocal with issues on which they are passionate, while exercising their constitutional right of freedom of speech.
One must wonder how she would react in the face of adversity, if put in similar situation when President Obama visits Jamaica. Over to you Madam Prime Minister, the ball is now in your court for all eyes to see.
Patrick Callum
patrickcallum@yahoo.com
A case for charm school
-->
While conducting the keynote speech at the 6th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora conference in New York on Thursday, March 26, 2015, a member of the gay community interrupted Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller's speech and started peppering her with questions. She visibly became agitated and she then retorted, "Nobody never hear the Government of Jamaica beating up gays; not one! Let me tell you something: You want to disturb, you can disturb, but this woman come here with the blood of Nanny of the Maroons and the spirit of Marcus Mosiah Garvey; and this woman is not afraid of no man, nowhere, anywhere, and I will speak the truth everywhere."
Her verbal response and body language was unstatesmanlike on the world stage. She must know that she must conduct herself with dignity on every occasion. By her response to the heckling by gay community members, it makes her appear that she is combative and is prepared, at any moment, to engage in a knock-down, drawn-out fist battle, which probably made her handlers cringe. She did not show any diplomacy or decorum, and this type of behaviour is unbecoming of a political leader in a country that values free speech. The way she reacted to the questions posed was as if she was conducting one of her usual fire-spitting political campaign speeches. Her handlers must ensure that this doesn't happen again on the world stage and, in order to mitigate this, they may need to refer her to charm school/finishing school, which assists with training in social graces and how to conduct oneself as a leader, especially under pressure.
Heckling leaders is not rare, and is par for the course in the political sphere, especially in America. I am of the view that her handlers failed at the task of preparing her beforehand, so that she would be ready to respond in a decent manner if situations like this occurred, especially in a country where its citizens are not afraid to be vocal with issues on which they are passionate, while exercising their constitutional right of freedom of speech.
One must wonder how she would react in the face of adversity, if put in similar situation when President Obama visits Jamaica. Over to you Madam Prime Minister, the ball is now in your court for all eyes to see.
Patrick Callum
patrickcallum@yahoo.com
A case for charm school
-->