Shadow Minister of Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes, has expressed disappointment that no formal apology has come from any female government minister over the abuse meted out to APNU+AFC MP Juretha Fernandes by two male PPP/C ministers during last week’s budget debate.
Hughes before delivering her presentation on the 2024 budget cited what she said was the “unbroken silence” from female government ministers who she said did not utter any apology on behalf of government ministers, Kwame McCoy, and Anand Persaud, who she charged constantly disrespect female opposition parliamentarians while the National Assembly is in progress.
“Mr Speaker, on Tues-day of this week two members of this house, government ministers at that, hurled the vilest of derogatory remarks at my colleague and friend MP Juretha Fernandes – a strong indigenous Guya-nese woman willing to answer the call of serving her country.”
She continued, “Mr Speaker, four days later we have no public apology extended to Ms Fernandes. I want all of Guyana and the world to know this is now the norm for some people in this house. I want to ask this PPP government, especially the women MPs sitting on that side of this house…do you hear these abuses? You are consistent in your silence, and as individuals you have failed to stand up when it comes to speaking out against gender abuse, and gender violence in this parliament.”
The Alliance for Change Member was deeply disappointed that the actions of Ministers McCoy and Persaud went unpunished. She noted that no government official has said, “No this is not what we stand for,” but instead allowed the disrespect to be perpetuated.
“The silence from men who have daughters and should know better is deafening, but let’s keep waiting for the public apology, all this has shaped the deplorable tone of these debates”, she stated.
