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GOVERNMENT Senator KD Knight was booed by delegates attending a meeting of the ruling People's National Party's (PNP) National Executive Council at the University of the West Indies, yesterday.
Knight, a senior attorney-at-law, was booed by a section of the crowd after he rose to address the contentious issue of the ban on smoking in public places imposed by the Government recently.
A smoker himself, Knight told delegates that if Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson did not make adjustments to the legislation he should pack his bags and go.
The reference is similar to that made by Knight to former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, when he cross-examined Golding during the commission of inquiry into the role that American firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips played in extradition proceedings against former Tivoli Gardens enforcer, Christopher "Dudus" Coke in 2011.
But unlike shouts of public approval from PNP supporters when he told Golding to get his luggage together, Knight's utterances yesterday drew a stony response from some NEC members.
"It was out of place. He cannot deal with Fergie (Dr Ferguson) like that," one Cabinet member told the Jamaica Observer.
"Dr Ferguson is the senior vice-president of the party and so respect ought to have been shown. This grandstanding business must stop. Dr Ferguson came here in peace, he too would like to fine-tune the boundaries for smoking in public places," the PNP official said.
Dr Ferguson had earlier addressed the meeting, saying that he would take the matter of adjustments to the smoking ban before a meeting of the Cabinet today, and indicated that he did not want to go into detail before Cabinet had dealt with it.
The Health Minister said that he took note of the concerns raised by Knight at a previous meeting, adding that he would do his best to deal with them.
Among the new measures would be a reduction in some fines, but not to a level that it is not punitive, an Observer source said. However, Knight was not satisfied with Dr Ferguson's position and outlined a list of possible legal ramifications that could arise if the adjustments were not made.
The 'pack your bags' comment came soon after.
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller was among those who appeared to be visibly upset by Knight's utterances, another PNP source told the Observer.
Calls to Dr Ferguson's cellular phone went unanswered, and similar attempts to attain a further comment from Knight were met with his now familiar voicemail "You have reached Bond... James Bond."
In the meantime, the PNP at a press conference following the NEC meeting confirmed that changes would be made to the ban.
A number of the officials indicated that the definition of the open space and the fines were among the issues relating to the regulation they felt were excessive, said PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill. Pickersgill also spoke to the Observer on Knight's earlier comments at a public function.
"All of these observations made by Comrade Knight have been taken into consideration, and the minister has agreed to make some adjustments," Pickersgill said.
"I think you will see some adjustment for various areas in terms of the penalties, issues in terms of the definition of public spaces, among other things," said PNP General Secretary Peter Bunting.
Pickersgill said that the issue will be brought to Parliament tomorrow.
The Ministry of Health, on July 15, implemented a ban on smoking in public spaces but came under harsh criticism from some sections of society.
Knight, a senior attorney-at-law, was booed by a section of the crowd after he rose to address the contentious issue of the ban on smoking in public places imposed by the Government recently.
A smoker himself, Knight told delegates that if Health Minister Dr Fenton Ferguson did not make adjustments to the legislation he should pack his bags and go.
The reference is similar to that made by Knight to former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, when he cross-examined Golding during the commission of inquiry into the role that American firm Manatt, Phelps and Phillips played in extradition proceedings against former Tivoli Gardens enforcer, Christopher "Dudus" Coke in 2011.
But unlike shouts of public approval from PNP supporters when he told Golding to get his luggage together, Knight's utterances yesterday drew a stony response from some NEC members.
"It was out of place. He cannot deal with Fergie (Dr Ferguson) like that," one Cabinet member told the Jamaica Observer.
"Dr Ferguson is the senior vice-president of the party and so respect ought to have been shown. This grandstanding business must stop. Dr Ferguson came here in peace, he too would like to fine-tune the boundaries for smoking in public places," the PNP official said.
Dr Ferguson had earlier addressed the meeting, saying that he would take the matter of adjustments to the smoking ban before a meeting of the Cabinet today, and indicated that he did not want to go into detail before Cabinet had dealt with it.
The Health Minister said that he took note of the concerns raised by Knight at a previous meeting, adding that he would do his best to deal with them.
Among the new measures would be a reduction in some fines, but not to a level that it is not punitive, an Observer source said. However, Knight was not satisfied with Dr Ferguson's position and outlined a list of possible legal ramifications that could arise if the adjustments were not made.
The 'pack your bags' comment came soon after.
Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller was among those who appeared to be visibly upset by Knight's utterances, another PNP source told the Observer.
Calls to Dr Ferguson's cellular phone went unanswered, and similar attempts to attain a further comment from Knight were met with his now familiar voicemail "You have reached Bond... James Bond."
In the meantime, the PNP at a press conference following the NEC meeting confirmed that changes would be made to the ban.
A number of the officials indicated that the definition of the open space and the fines were among the issues relating to the regulation they felt were excessive, said PNP Chairman Robert Pickersgill. Pickersgill also spoke to the Observer on Knight's earlier comments at a public function.
"All of these observations made by Comrade Knight have been taken into consideration, and the minister has agreed to make some adjustments," Pickersgill said.
"I think you will see some adjustment for various areas in terms of the penalties, issues in terms of the definition of public spaces, among other things," said PNP General Secretary Peter Bunting.
Pickersgill said that the issue will be brought to Parliament tomorrow.
The Ministry of Health, on July 15, implemented a ban on smoking in public spaces but came under harsh criticism from some sections of society.
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