Tweet
Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) parliamentarian Ernest Smith yesterday blasted the People's National Party's (PNP) St Catherine North East caretaker/candidate Abe Dabdoub for last week labelling prime minister in waiting Andrew Holness a "loader man".
Smith, in a broadside against Holness' critics, who he said were trying to find fault where there was none, said the Caucasian Dabdoub "would not have called Holness a loader man if Holness was a white man".
Smith, who certified Holness as being "fit and proper" to lead the JLP, said he was disappointed with Dabdoub for disrespecting his soon-to-be leader.
According to Smith, Holness was one of the few JLP members of parliament who encouraged him to fight for Dabdoub in the disputed 1997 election petition against the PNP's Phyllis Mitchell.
Ruled for dabdoub
In 2001, the Supreme Court ruled in Dabdoub's favour.
"I remember when my two daughters and myself were fighting that case against Phyllis Mitchell for Dabdoub to become a member of parliament. It was Andrew Holness who used to encourage me and my two daughters, so that we had the vigour and the wisdom in law, to win that case. And I live to see the day when Abe Dabdoub come and call my prime minister-designate 'loader bwoy', and him refuse to apologise ... .," Smith charged, scoffing at PNP President Portia Simpson Miller for remaining silent on Dabdoub's refusal to say 'sorry'.
Smith then turned his attention to PNP candidate-columnist Lloyd B. Smith, who he accused of trying to demonise his leader.
"You see Lloyd B. Smith, he ran for the Labour Party one time in Montego Bay, you know," Smith said. "And within a month after he lost, he quit active politics. He has joined the PNP. I don't blame the PNP for accepting him. There are more persons like him in the PNP. So now he has found a resting place. So all of those persons of the PNP out there, hoping that they can find something to demonise my leader, I have news for them, they are gonna have to deal with a man called Ernest Augustus Smith."
erica.virtue@gleanerjm.com
Comment