Young sorry for salacious ‘cross-talk’Opposition ignores apology and will refer him to Privileges Committee

Senior Reporter

akash.samaroo@cnc3.co.tt

The Opposition United National Congress (UNC) will today seek House Speaker Brigid Annisette-George’s permission to refer Energy Minister Stuart Young to Parliament’s Committee of Privileges, over his comments aimed at Kamla Persad-Bissessar while she and other members were exiting the chamber last week (October 10).

Although the Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West MP publicly apologised to the public for his “hot mic” comment yesterday, Persad-Bissessar said she was not accepting it.

Taking to his Facebook page yesterday, Young said, “I accept that more is expected of me as a representative Member of Parliament, and I wish to record my regret that this ‘cross-talk’ has unnecessarily distracted public discourse. Please accept my humblest apologies.”

Young said he hoped and trusted that “my record of service to this country speaks for itself.”

He did, however, not directly refer to Persad-Bissessar in his apology.

Guardian Media understands that the Opposition has written to House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George, stating its intention to refer Young to the Committee of Privileges.

Sources say it was on the grounds that Young used obscene, offensive and insulting language that brought the House into contempt and ridicule.

On October 10, as Finance Minister Colm Imbert was getting set to wrap up the 2025 Budget debate, oblivious that his microphone was on, Young was heard jokingly saying that the Opposition Leader was going to use the bathroom to “zammi”—a creole term often used to describe a lesbian or homosexual woman.

Sources say in their letter to the House Speaker, the Opposition said Young’s words were deliberately malicious and had no place in a society where women continue to be bullied and face threats to their lives.

Guardian Media understands that the letter underscores that even if Young considered his comments as “cross-talk,” there is a limit to that level of “picong.”

The letter reportedly also states that the comment, which went viral on several media platforms, inferred that Opposition MPs, including the Opposition Leader, engaged in prostitution.

According to the Standing Orders which govern the House, a matter directly concerning the privileges of the House shall take precedence over all other business. Any member desiring to raise a matter under this Standing Order shall first obtain leave of the Speaker, who will determine whether the member is entitled to raise the matter as a question of privilege.

The committee will be chaired by the House Speaker and will consist of five other members.

Mohammed: Stuart should

have known better

Before walking into the Parliament yesterday, St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen told Guardian Media that she hoped the matter would be taken seriously.

“The House will next meet on Thursday (today) at the end of the Standing Finance Committee meeting and it will be interesting to see the ruling of the Speaker. I trust that an incident this ridiculous and despicable will not be treated as something you can merely apologise, sweep under the carpet and go your way,” she said.

Meanwhile, social activist Wendell Eversley, who called for the apology during a news conference outside the Red House on Tuesday, said he too will be eagerly awaiting Annisette-George’s ruling.

“I waiting to see if the Speaker, who is also a woman, will take action on what the Minister said. And I don’t want to know that the Speaker said that he apologised. We have to set the highest standards in Parliament where integrity is concerned,” he said.

Eversley said he was disappointed by the reaction of the various women’s rights groups in this country and called on them to gather outside the Red House to demand that the Parliament deals with Young’s statement.

Commenting on Young’s apology, Eversley said, “If it is sincere, and coming from his heart, I will accept it but as a person who is alleged to be the next leader of the PNM, I do not think he is fit to be the political leader of the PNM.”

Weighing in on the controversial issue, political analyst Dr Shane Mohammed said he believes Young should have apologised to the Opposition Leader directly, particularly as he believes it’s a sensitive time in society as it pertains to the issue of bullying.

Mohammed said this was not the example set by former prime ministers Patrick Manning and Basdeo Panday.

“I think Mr Young should have known better but I believe to a great extent that it was intentional. Very unbecoming of someone who is the heir apparent to the PNM throne, very uncouth and of low calibre for someone whom the PNM praises as someone who is so patriotic and cares about the country over party,” he said.

Mohammed added that the Opposition is doing the right thing by seeking the intervention of the Parliament.

“Whether or not they get it approved (Privileges) they should still try because something of this nature should not just be left as old talk for us to get over. It was disgusting. The language was disgusting and while we encourage cross-talk, it should be picong at a level that should still be respectful,” he contended.

LGBT+ group, Queer Corner Caribbean, which had called on Young to say sorry, also felt as though his apology missed the mark.

“While we acknowledge the statement issued by the Minister, its failure to address who was impacted by his comments diminishes its effectiveness. Comments of this nature from politicians can perpetuate a culture of discrimination and hostility towards the already vulnerable LGBTQIA+ community,” said co-founder Cherisse Berkeley.

Berkeley is inviting Young to meet with them so he can better understand the societal ramifications of his statement.

‘We all make mistakes’

However, the Port-of-Spain North/St Ann’s West MP is receiving support from within his party.

San Fernando East MP Brian Manning said, “We all make mistakes and that’s just how it goes.”

Former PNM general secretary Ashton Ford believes Young’s apology was sincere and shows that he is a class above the UNC MPs.

“Every time a politician accepts responsibility for something it is in good standing. When the woman (Kamla Persad-Bissessar) made derogatory comments about Dr Rowley she never apologised. When she said he was the child of a rape victim, you remember that? And no apology came,” he argued.

Ford said the PNM is a different breed and when they recognise an error, it is addressed immediately.

The PNM stalwart also sought to dismiss claims that Young’s apology was merely to clean up his image as the PNM reportedly seeks a successor to its leader Dr Keith Rowley.

“His image has not been tarnished, there is always cross-talk in Parliament, is just that this one come out. You don’t know what them fellas say to PNM people across the floor, so don’t feel this is an isolated case. I have been in Parliament and I’ve heard worse than that. I don’t see this affecting Minister Young or the party,” he said.

On Tuesday during a Standing Finance Committee meeting, House Speaker Annisette-George said she will not be tolerating disrespect in the Parliament. She also encouraged members to manage their behaviours.

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