Hours after Demcoratic Labour Party (DLP) candidate for St George North, Floyd Reifer, demanded an apology for comments made during the current by election campaign, veteran politician Delisle Bradshaw responded with a statement on the matter.
Referring to Barbados Labour Party (BLP) candidate Toni Moore’s “international experience” and track record of “representing people”, Bradshaw said “any idiot could play cricket”, to laughter from some in the audience.
The former Member of Parliament and father of Minister of Education, Santia Bradshaw, made the contentious remark at Golden Ridge Village, St George, on Thursday night.
“You might be the best of the second class,” he continued. “Now I am going to say this to you, don’t let we go there, Mr Reifer, I will come after you too.”
In a video rebuttal, Reifer said: “This is what is coming from Miss Moore’s platform. This is how the Barbados Labour Party feels about the people in St George North and Barbados as a whole as sportsmen and women.”
“So you are telling that Sir Garfield Sobers is an idiot? Our living National Hero is an idiot? Sir Wes Hall is an idiot? Now this is a man that served in Parliament as an MP,” he added.
In the statement issued on Saturday night, Bradshaw said after watching the video his comment was “not the best or most respectful way to make my point”.
“I said a lot of things during my platform presentation, including a comment that is being construed as disparaging and disrespectful to the glorious game of cricket and the outstanding men and women who have and still play the game, achieving honour and pride for Barbados and us Barbadians,” Bradshaw said.
“I have listened to a replay of what I said and I am man enough to admit that my comment, made in the heat of the moment, was indeed not the best or most respectful way to make my point. I have the greatest admiration for our cricketers, in fact for all sports people. You can’t grow up as I did in Edgecliff in St John and not love cricket. We played cricket as often as we could and with anything that could lick way a ball and to this day I have the utmost respect for our cricket legends.”
He said his comment to Reifer was a demand for “more” about his record of service in the community and realistic plans and ideas.
“Yes, he has played cricket at its highest level with some success, but politics, especially in these times demands more,” Bradshaw explained.
The video made the rounds on social media and drew criticism from many, who also demanded an apology. Others said there was no need for Bradshaw to apologise. (PR/SAT)
