The main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Monday (May 29) criticised Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell after he used women names to refer to two male NDC candidates.

“This goes beyond the politics, it's an attack on gender, it's an attack on people whose choice is not in the majority, his words imply they are feminine and this I believe is a form of bullying,” said NDC chairman Vincent Roberts.

Address a public meeting of his ruling New National Party (NNP) here on Sunday night, Prime Minister Mitchell told supporters that not only is the NDC candidate coming up against him in Northwest, St George's a child but he is not even aware of his name.

“In Northwest, I don't like child abuse, I have never abuse any children but if a child decide to come and face me in politics, I will have to do what the people want me to do, the problem I have is, I don't know what the man name is, some people say his name is Allie Dowden some people say his name is Arlene Dowden, I don't know, that is what I hear, I don't know, and some people say the name of the one in Carriacou is Teresa Andrews,” he said.

The NDC candidate for Northwest is Allie Dowden while the party's candidate for the constituency of Carriacou and Petite Martinique, is Tevin Andrews.

Roberts said that the NDC is of the opinion that the decision by Mitchell to call two young male opposition politicians by female names is an attack on the people whose sexual orientation are different by science or choice.

“There are young people who from birth have to deal with that challenge and when they hear the leader of the main party, the leader of party in government engaging in such distasteful act this can affect them, these are some of the very young people who are voters, so they deserve to be respected.

"I am very offended, very offended and young people especially those in the youth arm of NNP need to disassociate themselves from this,” he said.

The statement by Prime Minister Mitchell has dominated the social media with Kellon Bubb, a New York-based Grenadian social activist condemning “in the strongest possible terms the homophobic jab Dr Keith Mitchell levelled against the NDC caretaker candidate for Carriacou and Petit Martinique.

“Calling the young man a “she” isn't funny and one can certainly make fun of political opponents without engaging in such…diatribe,” he wrote, noting also that Mitchell was among the longest serving leader in the Caribbean.

General election is constitutionally due here by May 2018, but it is widely expected that Mitchell will announce the date for the poll later this year.

Source: ja Observer