Our Readers' Opinions
October 30, 2009

Insulting comments by Sir James Mitchell

30.OCT.09

Editor: On Saturday, October 17, 2009, the opposition NDP held a public meeting at Calliaqua. At that meeting Senator St. Clair Leacock made a presentation in which he made a case for his “patriotism” because of his service as a cadet leader in the weeks following the eruption of the volcano in 1979.{{more}}

He said that he and other cadets inhaled a lot of ash and sulphur which two or three years later caused him and others to “pee” blood. He also spoke about his efforts to improve the new constitution.

When Sir James Mitchell took to the platform he was crass and insulting to Mr. Leacock and his listeners. Sir James began by saying the following words:

“Now a lady behind me heard about Leacock talking about his blood and I wondered what kind of ceremony we having here. The lady behind me said when she heard about Leacock having his trouble, she said ‘like he had his period’. Ah hope Leacock you not having your period in Parliament”.

Come on, Sir James. This is not funny. It is rubbish of the worst kind. Later in his speech Sir James went out of his way to insult and humiliate Leacock again. This is what he had to say.

“Let me say something to Mr. Leacock. If you get into Parliament and think that you are going to interfere with the constitution we have here, I coming out to deal with you, too. Nobody touching this constitution. Nobody coming to interfere with it while Son Mitchell is alive.”

Does the constitution belong to Sir James exclusively? Why do we have to tolerate this kind of egotistical and demeaning nonsense in 2009? This is not 1989, and St.Vincent and the Grenadines and the NDP are not the Frangipani Hotel. By the way, I taped Sir James’ speech.

Arnold Dublin