Dear Editor,
It’s customary for me to watch parliamentary proceedings, and Tuesday January 19, 2016 was no different. I am not going to say that I am bothered by the cross talk and the bantering that takes place, but when it gets down into the gutter, one has to be concerned.
At this sitting, Everald Warmington showed how boorish and crass his behaviour can be. That he referred to his parliamentary colleague as a “jezebel” shows yet again his patent disrespect. He continues to do this in a most vile manner. This is not only disrespectful to MinisterLisa Hanna, but it is an affront to all the female members who sit in the House.
It would seem to me that a trend has appeared in the House whenever Lloyd B Smith sits in the chair as Speaker of the House. Whenever he is there, the members pay him little or no respect, especially Desmond McKenzie and Everald Warmington.
Why is it that Warmington makes all these nasty outbursts (showing journalist the middle finger, telling a journalist to go to hell) and the leader of the Opposition, who has named him as the Opposition whip in the House, remains silent? I think the time has come for Andrew Holness to say publicly that he condemns such behaviour. It cannot be that each time this happens Holness goes into hibernation and prays that the talk goes away. Now more than ever, Holness needs to show that he does lead and is the transformational leader he claims he is. Holness needs to let it be known that he abhors disrespect to females, especially that his wife is seeking to sit in Parliament.
It would be shameful if the leader of the Opposition says nothing, because he would definitely be saying to his wife, Juliet Holness, that she should be prepared to be disrespected if she gets into the House.
Short of Holness speaking out, the female JLP members, Babsy Grange, Marissa Dalrymple-Phillibert and Shahine Robinson, must come out publicly and condemn the utterances of Everald Warmington.
Ralston Chamberlain
ralston.chamberlain@alum.utoronto.ca
It’s customary for me to watch parliamentary proceedings, and Tuesday January 19, 2016 was no different. I am not going to say that I am bothered by the cross talk and the bantering that takes place, but when it gets down into the gutter, one has to be concerned.
At this sitting, Everald Warmington showed how boorish and crass his behaviour can be. That he referred to his parliamentary colleague as a “jezebel” shows yet again his patent disrespect. He continues to do this in a most vile manner. This is not only disrespectful to MinisterLisa Hanna, but it is an affront to all the female members who sit in the House.
It would seem to me that a trend has appeared in the House whenever Lloyd B Smith sits in the chair as Speaker of the House. Whenever he is there, the members pay him little or no respect, especially Desmond McKenzie and Everald Warmington.
Why is it that Warmington makes all these nasty outbursts (showing journalist the middle finger, telling a journalist to go to hell) and the leader of the Opposition, who has named him as the Opposition whip in the House, remains silent? I think the time has come for Andrew Holness to say publicly that he condemns such behaviour. It cannot be that each time this happens Holness goes into hibernation and prays that the talk goes away. Now more than ever, Holness needs to show that he does lead and is the transformational leader he claims he is. Holness needs to let it be known that he abhors disrespect to females, especially that his wife is seeking to sit in Parliament.
It would be shameful if the leader of the Opposition says nothing, because he would definitely be saying to his wife, Juliet Holness, that she should be prepared to be disrespected if she gets into the House.
Short of Holness speaking out, the female JLP members, Babsy Grange, Marissa Dalrymple-Phillibert and Shahine Robinson, must come out publicly and condemn the utterances of Everald Warmington.
Ralston Chamberlain
ralston.chamberlain@alum.utoronto.ca