PM: Spencer should recant ‘unfortunate’ statement

RUDYARD SPENCER, the embattled state minister for finance and the public service, is expected to retract controversial statements he made last Sunday that Labourites would now get increased services through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority with a Jamaica Labour Par ty member i nstalled as chairman.

Spencer was addressing party suppor ters at a meeting i n Bellefield, Manchester.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness yesterday distanced his administration and party from Spencer’s comments and indicated that he expected the junior minister for finance to withdraw the statement. In an interview with The Gleaner at Jamaica House yesterday, Holness said that his administration rejected the style of politics articulated by Spencer.

INAPPROPRIATE STATEMENT

“I think it is a very unfortunate and inappropriate statement, and I am expecting that Minister Spencer will make a fulsome withdrawal of the statement and will do everything in his power, to ensure that no such statement is made again,” Holness declared.

Spencer has said that he regrets that his statement was interpreted to be tribal and has conceded that his views could have been expressed otherwise.

Holness told The Gleaner that he had not yet spoken to Spencer to hear his side of the story but indicated that he had read the comments in the media. “It is on my agenda to deal with,” Holness said.

“I want to make it absolutely clear that the Government that I lead will not use party politics to distribute public resources. We have had this accusation made before, and I dealt with it and continue to ensure that the ministers follow the policies that I have set in this regard,” Holness stated.