Edmond Campbell, Senior News CoordinatorTHE OPPOSITION Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), after soaking up stinging criticisms recently in the House from its former-member-now-turned People's National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament, Verna Parchment, has responded with a version of "cock mouth kill cock."
In her presentation to the Sectoral Debate earlier this month, the North West St. Ann MP launched a broadside against her former party, outlining what she described as the "intellectual dishonesty" and "disrespect" meted out to her as a woman by her former colleagues.
She cast doubt on the JLP's ability to govern the country, noting that "they are groping in the dark hoping to find some light at the end of what is a very dark tunnel."
But Ms. Parchment's utterances while on the minority side of Parliament, returned to haunt her on Wednesday, when Member of Parliament for West Rural St. Andrew, Andrew Gallimore, drew on the records of Hansard and launched a tirade against his former colleague.
SHOUTS OF APPROVAL
With shouts of approval from JLP members, Mr. Gallimore quoted Ms. Parchment as saying: "The victimisation of the people flies in the face of the Government which speaks about the value, attitude and equality of all. We must lead by example, failing which we will not be trusted."
And Ms. Parchment, in chastising the PNP on another issue had said: "Mr. Speaker, what has taken place here can only be regarded as cheap, raw and dirty politics. The facts are, construction started a few months before 2002 General Election and ceased one month after the people of North West St. Ann elected me on the JLP ticket."
Meanwhile, Independent Member of Parliament for North East St. Catherine, Abe Dabdoud who had bitter words for his former party while commending the policy direction and vision of Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, also came in for criticism.
On the issue of corruption in construction and Government projects, he is quoted in Hansard as saying: "This Government, Mr. Speaker, then proceeds to implement in a most careless, reckless and wasteful manner, poor planning, questionable contract awards, incompetent management, wasteful misuse of public funds. Bungling bureaucracy and a lack of accountability have become the standard for construction projects carried out by this Government."
