PM Browne doesn’t think he needs to apologize for the ‘send the pretty young women’ comment
“Conceited self-righteous sophomaniacs” is how Prime Minister Gaston Browne described Sunday’s guests for The Big Issues, one of whom is a stalwart of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP), and all of whom were critical of his recent “pretty young ladies” comment on Facebook.
They discussed a Facebook comment Browne made likely between Friday, April 9, and Saturday, April 10, which some have since called inappropriate, bad taste, and even sexist, but which the Prime Minister has said he only intended to be humorous.
“I did tell Comrade Ralph to send all the young pretty ladies. We need to expand our population.” the Prime Minister wrote in response to a female constituent who posted, “Bring all old woman that soon reaches 100… and bring all young, strong back man between the ages of 20 and 30… [You] can bring 1 or 2 sugar daddies too”.
Dr Hinds was the strongest in her reaction, saying it was “highly inappropriate, insensitive and sexist” and disappointing from a Caribbean leader. She added that when the Prime Minister defended the statement against critics in the opposition telling them to “get a life”, it was “just as bad”.
“It’s a crisis. Women are very vulnerable in natural disasters…and to make this sort of joke is inappropriate,” the senior politics lecturer said. As she spoke, the Prime Minister was again on Facebook lashing out, accusing persons of pursuing “a narrative of moral superiority…in support of their insatiable appetite for attention”.
“If you and I have to be responsible about our social media use because what we say is monitored, and it could be harmful to our career, then I can’t imagine that anybody who holds the highest office in the land should not also exercise the same level, if not more diligence, in so far as how they utilize social media, ” the second guest, Knight added.
The Prime Minister seemed to take particular objection to Knight’s commentary, and yesterday, singled him out on Facebook by name, accusing the Antiguan student of “posing as an expert in sexual psychology” and “conceitedly…presenting himself as a psychic” who could “interpret my thoughts and the meaning of my words”.
“Just imagine, this self-righteous sophomaniac felt emboldened enough to accuse me of sexism publicly,” Browne said. Knight later noted that he did not call Browne sexist but only said that the original comment could well be interpreted as an innuendo.
Finally, the third guest Dr Thomas, offered some defence of the Prime Minister, saying that more consideration should be given to the fact that Browne “meant no offence” by his original comment “nor [sought] to objectify women”, but noted that “it’s a lesson for the Prime Minister to learn” that he cannot separate himself from his office, and should act accordingly.
Dr Hinds said, “I think the prime minister should apologize, but…there’s been no recognition [from him] that anything was wrong. His comments in response indicated that people such as me who have an issue with it need to get a life and lighten up”.
In what appears to be a direct response to the calls for an apology, Browne posted on Facebook on Sunday afternoon, “These self-righteous sophomaniacs conceitedly accused me of sexism. Here is my apology: (eight laughing emojis).”
Knight lamented that “rather than seeking to reform the culture so that it gets better”, politicians “allow people to remain in the same condition and ponder”.
The reaction to the Prime Minister’s original comment has been far and wide. The stories out of Antigua and Barbuda have been carried in the regional press in outlets such as the Jamaica Gleaner and the Trinidad Newsday.
Browne’s first reaction was to condemn the opposition United Progressive Party (UPP), which came on Sunday, April 11, swiftly after his original comment. Since then, he’s held his stance that his original comment was made with “levity” and without profanity and could not seriously be considered offensive, insisting that critics should “get a life”.
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