Member of Parliament for Couva South, Barry Padarath, has condemned former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, describing his recent remarks as offensive and unbecoming of a former national leader.
In a statement, he said Dr. Rowley’s outburst at a press conference on Tuesday was not the performance of a former Prime Minister and exposed the “arrogance, misogyny and moral collapse that defined his politics.”
He said Dr. Rowley’s remarks went beyond politics and reflected a deeper societal issue, noting that too many women already endure abuse, humiliation, economic pressure and disrespect.
“When a former Prime Minister refers to the sitting Prime Minister, a woman, as a ‘jamette,’ he is displaying spite, vulgarity and a complete absence of decency. This is bigger than partisan politics… That is not leadership. That is the language of a man who believes abuse is an argument.”
MP Padarath argued that the incident reflects a longstanding pattern. “When challenged, he does not rise to accountability. He descends into abuse,” pointing to what he described as repeated misinformation, including recent claims about the PNM’s 70th anniversary invitation which were publicly disproven by the party itself.
Mr. Padarath maintained that Dr. Rowley’s conduct is intended to distract from his record. “When his record is questioned, he reaches for abuse; when facts corner him, he reaches for theatre. He wants the country to focus on his insults because he cannot defend his inheritance.”