Ruddy Spencer meets political ombudsman, says sorry for RADA comments
Published:Thursday | April 5, 2018 | 12:00 AM
Clarendon South East MP Ruddy Spencer has issued a formal apology for statements he made at a political meeting in Bellefield, Manchester on March 18 promising increased assistance for Labourites now that a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) member is the chairman of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).
Former Clarendon North Western MP Michael Stern was appointed RADA chairman in August last year.
A statement from the Office of the Political Ombudsman issued to the media said Spencer voluntarily extended a complete and unreserved apology to the people of Jamaica, the Opposition and the JLP.
In addition, the statement said Spencer condemned political tribalism in all forms.
Spencer also reportedly committed to upholding the values of Jamaica’s democracy and to serving all the people of Jamaica equally.
WHAT SPENCER HAD SAID:
SPENCER: Labourites, we have a system where we will now have our own chairman of RADA and things have been happening and things can happen at RADA. But naturally, you will meet some bottlenecks because we have just taken over the system and we are trying to find our way around the system. Where you never have a parish manager for RADA, you now have a Labourite being the chairman of RADA, so whatever problems you use to have …
(Spencer pauses to hear advice of someone reminding him that the media were present.)
SPENCER: No, no I want them hear.
MAN IN AUDIENCE: Mine weh you a talk seh
SPENCER: Whatever problems you use to have, I believe now most of those problems would have gone away because you have your own manager to assist in the management of RADA … So therefore, you can’t say that you are getting no attention, you can’t say nothing is happening, because in fairness, you have your own manager, to report whatever problems you have and expect him to solve those problem.
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