Dear Editor,
I am of the firm view that the comments by Member of Parliament Dr Dayton Campbell in response to a particular contestant winning the sectional prize for best figure in the recently concluded Miss Jamaica World Competition were most unfortunate and irresponsible and show a complete lack of regard for Jamaican women.
It brings to the fore issues of gender discrimination and sexism that Jamaican women face every day.
To think, the fact that this young lady displayed the level of patriotism to enter a competition in a bid to represent our country on the world stage, as Minister Hanna did back in 1993, escaped the mind of Dr Campbell, is regrettable. As such, rather than lauding the contestant for aspiring to lift brand Jamaica, Dr Campbell merely saw her as fair game, to be ridiculed.
Dr Campbell must always be cognisant of the fact that 'with great power comes great responsibility', and that as a Member of Parliament, he must always be on his best behaviour and give our Jamaican women the respect they deserve.
Whatever the shape of any Jamaican woman, they remain the backbone of our society, our caregivers, our mothers and the very heartbeat of our nation.
I trust that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, the Minister of Youth and Culture and the other women of the PNP will chastise the MP for his misguided and disrespectful remarks.
Ronique Rhoden
Gender Affairs Chairperson
Generation 2000 (G2K)
Kingston 6
Lack of regard for Jamaican women
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I am of the firm view that the comments by Member of Parliament Dr Dayton Campbell in response to a particular contestant winning the sectional prize for best figure in the recently concluded Miss Jamaica World Competition were most unfortunate and irresponsible and show a complete lack of regard for Jamaican women.
It brings to the fore issues of gender discrimination and sexism that Jamaican women face every day.
To think, the fact that this young lady displayed the level of patriotism to enter a competition in a bid to represent our country on the world stage, as Minister Hanna did back in 1993, escaped the mind of Dr Campbell, is regrettable. As such, rather than lauding the contestant for aspiring to lift brand Jamaica, Dr Campbell merely saw her as fair game, to be ridiculed.
Dr Campbell must always be cognisant of the fact that 'with great power comes great responsibility', and that as a Member of Parliament, he must always be on his best behaviour and give our Jamaican women the respect they deserve.
Whatever the shape of any Jamaican woman, they remain the backbone of our society, our caregivers, our mothers and the very heartbeat of our nation.
I trust that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, the Minister of Youth and Culture and the other women of the PNP will chastise the MP for his misguided and disrespectful remarks.
Ronique Rhoden
Gender Affairs Chairperson
Generation 2000 (G2K)
Kingston 6
Lack of regard for Jamaican women
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