Blog

St Ann’s East MP Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly has condemned Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar for what she claimed was a violent threat to Diego Martin North/East MP Colm Imbert during a sitting of the House of Representatives on November 21. Gadsby-Dolly, a former education minister, called on Persad-Bissessar to apologise for her remarks. In a video of the sitting, Persad-Bissessar is heard telling someone in the opposition benches, “Don’t point at me.” Her subsequent comment was drowned out by shouts and desk thumping from government MPs. In a Facebook post. Gadsby-Dolly said, “The conduct of Kamla Persad-Bissessar is deeply disappointing. All jokes aside, as a woman, a mother and a young female politician, I was sorely embarrassed by the words and posture of the Prime Minister in Parliament today.” She said Persad-Bissessar verbally threatened Diego Martin North/East MP Colm Imbert during the sitting, and there were no excuses for it. Gadsby-Dolly claimed Persad-Bissessar told Imbert she would “cuff him down” in full earshot of the entire Parliament. She said Persad-Bissessar was setting a poor example for young women “who are looking to us, women leaders, as exemplars.” The matter, Gadsby-Dolly continued, goes deeper than party politics. She told Persad-Bissessar, “By your words and actions, you are sowing seeds of violence.” Gadsby-Dolly, a former education minister, asked, “How, therefore, can you preach non-violence to our students?”She noted a woman was recently detained by police for issuing violent threats against Persad-Bissessar.. “As an older woman and politician, and above all, as prime minister, this type of conduct should be way beneath you. No prime minister with class behaves this way. This talk about ‘buss head,’ ‘load up de matic,’ and now, ‘cuff down’ not sure where it’s coming from, but please stop. Gadsby-Dolly said, “It’s cringey, insipid, and sets an entirely wrong tone for a country that is supposed to be working on transforming our culture of violence. A fish rots from the head. A word to the wise is sufficient.” Her statements were supported in a statement subsequently released by the PNM’s Women’s League. The League said, “We strongly urge the Prime Minister to reflect on the gravity of her words and the example they set for the thousands who look to the nation’s leadership for guidance. The Office of Prime Minister demands behaviour that elevates our democracy, not language that undermines it.” The League asked Persad-Bissessar, “How can you expect citizens to uphold civility when your own conduct falls short of the dignity and responsibility of your office?” During a meeting of the House’s Standing Finance Committee last October, while the PNM was in government, then energy minister Stuart Young was criticised for making disparaging remarks about Persad-Bissessar and other UNC MPs. In subsequent statements inside and outside of Parliament, Young said, “I made comments which were carried by a live microphone that have gone viral and generated much attention. I accept that more is expected of me as a representative member of parliament, and I wish to record my regret that this ‘cross-talk’ has unnecessarily distracted public discourse.. Please accept my humblest apologies.” The post Gadsby-Dolly: PM must apologise for threat to ‘cuff down’ Imbert appeared first.