Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley isn’t happy about what he’s seen in a video on social media with students of the St George Primary School among several politicians on the campaign trail in St George.
And he’s calling on Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw to provide an explanation as to why the minors were used in that manner.
In the video, the Barbados Labour Party leader, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, candidate for St George North Toni Moore and other members of the party urge the pupils to shout “Moore” in apparent support of the Barbados Workers’ Union (BWU) general secretary, who will face five opponents in the November 11 by-election.
“As Leader of the Opposition and head of the People’s Party for Democracy and Development (PdP), I wish to condemn the actions of our political leaders as represented in the social media video clip featuring a group of St George Primary School children. PdP considers this action on the part of those politicians involved to be irresponsible, insensitive and disrespectful to both parents and the administration of the school,” Atherley said in a statement released to the media yesterday.
The St Michael West MP said it was one thing for politicians to mix with minors in order to encourage appreciation for Government, for governance and even to project themselves as role models, but to resort to using them as visual props in a partisan political photo opportunity at the height of a by-election was very unbecoming.
“PdP calls on the Minister of Education to explain the circumstances surrounding this occurrence. We further call on her to call out her colleagues on this matter and to offer an apology to both parents and the administration of the school for this unfortunate, undesirable behaviour,” Atherley added. (PR/BA)
