Caption: Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Nicholas Morris, left, and Minister of Land and Legal Affairs Saddam Hosein
Summary
- Controversial Remark: Former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley is facing intense backlash after referring to sitting Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as a ‘jamette’ during a press conference at his Glencoe home.
- The Context: Rowley made the derogatory comment in response to Persad-Bissessar’s parliamentary allegations that the PNM funded its Balisier House headquarters with narco-trafficking money and harboured ties to paedophiles.
- Opposition Leader Called Out: Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Nicholas Morris, publicly criticized Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles for her silence, accusing her of failing to defend a fellow female leader for the sake of politics.
- TATT Issues Warning: Following the broadcast of the press conference, the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) warned media houses that broadcasting degrading or discriminatory material is a breach of their concessions and is actively reviewing the matter.
- Ministers Condemn ‘Misogyny’: Government ministers, including Barry Padarath and Khadijah Ameen, heavily condemned the remark, describing it as despicable, misogynistic, and a dangerous signal to society regarding the treatment of women.
By Prior Beharry
A wave of condemnation from Government ministers has followed former Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley’s recent press conference, during which he referred to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar as a “jamette.”
The controversy has also prompted the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) to issue a warning to broadcasters regarding taste and decency.
The issue ignited on Tuesday at press conference Rowley had at his Glencoe home.
The former prime minister was responding to allegations made by Persad-Bissessar in Parliament last Friday, where she accused the People’s National Movement (PNM) of funding its Balisier House headquarters with money from narco-traffickers and alleged the party had connections to paedophiles.
In response, Rowley stated, “If (Persad-Bissessar) can’t come in front of me and show me an iota of evidence to support that allegation, I say again that we are unfortunate to have a ‘jamette’ as the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.”
Callout to the Opposition Leader
A the Cabinet press conference on Thursday, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister, Nicholas Morris, took the opportunity to criticise not only Rowley but also current Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles for her silence on the matter.
“It is very condescending. It’s embarrassing that a country with a rich history of democracy will have a former prime minister coming on the airwaves to degenerate women,” Morris said.
“The most embarrassing thing in this situation is the silence of the leader of the opposition. The leader of the opposition is a female, and for the sake of politics, she has stayed quiet and not defended a fellow female leader.”
On Thursday, Minister of Land and Legal Affairs also weighed in briefly, stating, “I am fasting, so I have to be very careful. I’ll just go so far to say he’s a very sick man.”
TATT issues broadcast warning
Following the broadcast of Rowley’s remarks, TATT issued a media release on Friday reminding television and radio concessionaires of their legal obligations.
“Public discourse surrounding recent statements about the Honourable Prime Minister… has underscored the critical importance of maintaining taste and decency in our media landscape,” the Authority stated.
TATT reminded broadcasters of Section D9 of their concessions, which prohibits transmitting material that degrades, portrays negatively, or encourages discrimination against any person or group based on sex, race, origin, class, or religion. The Authority confirmed it is actively reviewing the matter and will take appropriate regulatory action if any broadcaster is found to be in breach of its concession.
Government ministers fire back
The use of the derogatory term sparked immediate backlash from Members of Parliament and Senators within the United National Congress (UNC).
Public Utilities Minister and Couva South MP Barry Padarath released a statement describing Rowley as “despicable,” arguing that the outburst exposed “the arrogance, misogyny and moral collapse that defined his politics.”
“When a former prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago stands before the country and refers to the sitting Prime Minister, a woman, as a ‘jamette’, he is not displaying strength,” Padarath said, adding that the language was demeaning and gutter-level. “In a country where too many women already endure abuse, humiliation, economic pressure and disrespect, Dr. Rowley chose to contribute not maturity, not substance, not evidence, but insult.”
Local Government Minister and St. Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen echoed these sentiments, warning of the broader societal impact of such language. “When senior public officials use abusive and degrading language toward women it does more than insult an individual. It sends a powerful and dangerous signal to society, particularly men and boys, about what is acceptable behaviour,” Ameen said.
MP for Fyzabad and Minster of Finance Davedranath Tanco said, “Retirement is difficult and sometimes may cause mental and medical challenges for persons who may have been in full-time employment for decades.
Meanwhile, UNC Senator Brian Baig demanded a formal retraction and apology, calling Rowley’s behavior “crude, disgusting and disgraceful.”
