Young: DUI, corruption not the same

COMMUNICATIONS Minister Stuart Young defended Government Senator Dr Lester Henry against online memes calling for the economist to demit his Senate seat on the basis of a DUI (driving under the influence) conviction in line with former senator Gerald Ramdeen quitting the Opposition bench to fight corruption charges in the law court.

While memes had sought to liken the two cases, Young flatly rejected that claim at yesterday’s post Cabinet briefing at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s, and argued for Henry’s suitability to stay in Senate.

Smiling, Young replied, “With the greatest of respect, one cannot run a country, you can’t run a parlour shop, on the basis of what memes are put out. A meme is created by someone with an agenda. “So if someone wants to put out a meme, I’m certain I’m one of the most memed people that there is, so, no the Prime Minister is certainly not going to decide who he appoints in key positions on the basis of memes.”

Young defended Henry.

“I can tell you from a common sense point of view, I don’t see the comparison between someone who has been charged with drinking under the influence and someone who has been charged with being in a corrupt transaction and a conspiracy to misappropriate – I don’t know what the sum is, but I know the legal fees is up to $1.4 billion – and there is an allegation of misappropriation of fees and payments of kickbacks.

“In my mind I don’t see the comparison between the two, whatsoever.”