PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — Independent Member of Parliament (MP) Christophe Emmanuel on Tuesday said the fact that Prime Minister Silveria Jacobs has not “uttered a single word” publicly about the offensive comments made by the Minister of VROMI Egbert Doran towards the Ombudsman is a shame and apparently indicates that she condones the comments. “And you are what you condone,” the MP said.
Emmanuel pointed out that several Members of Parliament stated that it behooves the Prime Minister to state her position on, or give a reaction to Doran’s offensive comments towards the Ombudsman. He recalled that Jacobs had chastised him after he asked former Minister of TEATT Stuart Johnson what kind of cruise he went on, with his line of questioning making reference to sexual orientation. Jacobs was a Member of Parliament at the time.
“She stood up and screamed it was derogatory. Now we have a member of her cabinet, a Minister, not just insulting a high council office, but denigrating a woman. Where is the Prime Minister’s chastisement now? Where is the Prime Minister that takes every opportunity she gets to defend women? Women affairs are only important when it is politically convenient. It is a downright shame that the Prime Minister has not denounced the Minister for his statements the MP said.
He added that besides MP Sarah Wescot-Williams, the comments on the floor of Parliament and publicly from the other women in Parliament that supports the coalition left a lot to be desired. “It is a pity that being in a coalition ties the tongues of some MP’s when they should, in the strongest terms, denounce certain things. But this government and its support in Parliament has shown over and over again that they will do what they want, to whom they want and when they want. Forget what’s right,” he concluded.
