Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves says West Kingstown MP, Daniel Cummings was referring to National Mobilisation Minister, Senator Keisal Peters when he spoke about a “fat lady” at a campaign event.
“Well, every fat lady in West Kingstown and every fat lady in the whole of St. Vincent and the Grenadines should not vote for the NDP because they want a country without any fat lady,” Gonsalves said on NBC Radio on Wednesday.
“But one thing you don’t do, you don’t go and verbally abuse one of my ministers, and you don’t verbally abuse someone, man or woman, because she is, quote, unquote, a fat lady, to use his expression. And yet, in the same breath, say, we must work together, one under God,” the prime minister said.
Cummings did not identify who he was speaking about when he said at a New Democratic Party village meeting in Largo Height on Saturday that “a fat lady” questions constituents seeking help to repair their damaged homes about their political allegiance.
He, however, urged people to use their phones to record their conversations with the “fat lady”, adding that he had thought long and hard about making that statement publicly.
Gonsalves said he was “very disappointed” having read a transcript of the comments by “opposition members who are supposed to be responsible”.
The prime minister said he had read the speeches “and some of the most reckless stuff I ever heard uttered.
“It may well be that the fellas are getting very desperate that they see that this veritable jail sentence you have had for nearly quarter century, it going to be extended to a few more years, that they ain’t getting parole from opposition, metaphorically,” Gonsalves said.
He quoted Cummings saying that Parliament had approved millions of dollars for recovery from Hurricane Beryl, which impacted the country on July 1.
“‘The people of West Kingstown have to go to a fat lady,’” Gonsalves quoted Cummings as saying and he interjected “meaning Minister Keisal Peters”.
The prime minister said it was “not the first time that the opposition have gone at Keisal Peters in this awful manner.
“Remember a fellow traveller of the opposition who once people thought he was on the left, but now understand that is right opportunism in him, had said that Keisal does bleach she skin and all she want to look white, and she ain’t no black woman or words to that effect.”
Gonsalves described Peters as a “beautiful black woman come from the poor and the working people”.
He further said she is “bright, she’s sassy, she dresses well…
“But no, she’s reduced by Cummings — I could quote Shakespeare beware of he with a lean and hungry look.”
The prime minister said Peters “will never ask anybody their party politics. And the overwhelming majority of people in any constituency whose names go to housing are done either directly by the persons themselves, to the Ministry of Housing or to NEMO and transmitted to housing or by the assessors.”
Gonsalves said Cummings had told “a naked lie”.
The prime minister said that the Ministry of Housing is repairing houses with levels 1 and 2 damage and the Housing and Land Development Corporation with levels 3 and 4.
“But I’ve said to them, if you go in an area and you’re dealing with two level 3 houses, and there’s a level 4, there’s a level 3, start that one too so to avoid any set of bassa-bassa, ‘My house worse that one and that one get done before mine.’”
Gonsalves said Cumming was verbally abusing the daughter of a port worker and someone who takes care of old people.
“Keisal Peters ain’t come from a place with a silver spoon in she mouth,” Gonsalves said.
He said Cummings, a former manager of the state-owned Central Water and Sewerage Authority, “before he entered politics, was a splendid professional”.
Gonsalves said that houses in West Kingstown was being fixed “as I speak to you”.
He said that after making his comments, Cummings “presents himself as always with sanctimony, because he goes on to quote God, ‘We cannot grow as a country, unless and until we walk together as one in the name of God.
“God will approve of you? You think Jesus would have called Keisal a fat woman and verbally abuse her like this?”
But she fat tho
But she is fat. Why is the PM using the statement for political gain. Mr Cummings did not mention anyone’s name, so the PM is basing this on pure speculation.
If PM want to call the woman fat he should just tell her that she is fat, which of course she is.
But funny he can go about calling people all sort of names and think that it’s ok, this man have no respect for Vincentions.
He is just looking for something to say. This is a nothing burger.
I suppose it was ok for you to refer to a lady as going away a girl and coming back a boy
So some ar yo na bin say yo na believe in God but go call His name fo get wha ar yo want?
and u think Jesus would have called people, stinking dirty dog and verbally abuse him like that? hypocrites
Before this man go and fight crime all him good for is give wud like some kinda street woman
Really? Ppl getting killed left rite an center and there is where u can channel your energy as minister of s??urity? U should b having briefing upon briefing explaining to vincentain how u all dealing wid this soring crime rate.
Instead u song like picminager fighting.
Like U total forget is taxpayers paying u.
Leave that comment for d man on d street to handle. I guess if u do that u will really see how yo stand in ah st Vincent.
Vincy too poor to be concerned with body shaming
If Cummins becomes a minister ,that might bite him overseas, but, Cummins knows his chances are decreasing as he’s in his 70’s ,so leave the man alone Ralph, to express himself.
Roslindale Ryan read again and ask your self if it makes intuitive sense. Double speak
The 78-year-old Fossil is mixing religion with dutty politics again. Insulting the people for the Nth time. If you are religious and moralistic you will see right through his […] remarks. Cunnings made no derogatory remarks whatsoever if you call a spade a spade. It is he, the PM who is lying […] as usual, pretending he is holier than thou just to be relevant in an election. He is scared to death he will be defeated this time. […]
This quote, until the fat lay sing.
I guess RG wants Cummins to take a leaf out of Ralph’s book and lie. On second thoughts, Peters is not fat, she is extremely obese. She and her chief cheerleader cannot be used as the poster girl or poster boy of good health. You think that both of them ca sit side by side when travelling to Barbados on Caribbean Airlines? Hell, no.
Since when does this prime minister care about correctness of any sort, be it social, political, gender-based or otherwise? He should be ashamed to propagate this type of ignorance in a vulnerable community.
And frankly, many if not most are sick and tired of the transparent, gratuitous and self-serving posturing and bleating about people coming from poor and humble homes and backgrounds. Overworked. Overdone. Worn out. Insincere. Mocking. Making a whole meal out of bullshit.
One question is: Did she see herself as arising out of a poor and humble background until her fief pointed it out to her?
What a crock of shit to be digested by those whose palates are already primed for it!
When it comes to insulting people in the name of political pecong no one does it more than Ralph Gomslaves PM of SVG. The difference is that Ralph calls those he insults by name. For him to go on and on with this based on mere speculation is confusing to me. Ms Peters is a very heavy woman and in SVG we call people like that FAT.
But she’s a fat lady. Just look at her
Gluttony is one of the Seven Deadly sins. It should not be damned as body shaming.