What crass behaviour in the House

THE EDITOR: After reading the article that outlined in detail the "on-mic" conversation between MPs Stuart Young and Colm Imbert in Parliament during the budget debate last week Thursday, I was disgusted and outraged.

Whether their remarks were on-mic or off-mic makes no difference, they were crude and vulgar and have no place in our Parliament. Not only do these comments show complete disrespect to fellow parliamentarians, they are also disrespectful to the very citizens in whose House these MPs are seated.

It used to be that picong was accepted as a way of interjecting some humour into political jibes, and some of our most intelligent orators were known for their wit. It seems we are now at a low point, where vulgarity and nastiness are the order of the day.

While we look on at leaders from other Caribbean islands who have captured the respect of the global community for the messages they convey on issues of regional and global relevance, back in TT, we are faced with petty in-fighting.

Why are we seeing growing problems of anger, abuse and bullying in our society? Look no further than our Parliament.

SITA KURUVILLA

Via e-mail