Warmington says his comments have been 'misunderstood'

Minister with responsibility for works, Everald Warmington, says his comments that "no PNP councillor going spend my money" have been "misunderstood".

"To the extent that my comments, which were made in the heat of the moment and perhaps could have been more clearly stated, have been misinterpreted as endorsing victimisation, I unequivocally reject any such sentiment," Warmington said in a release to the media on Wednesday evening.

Warmington also said he was withdrawing the statement and apologised to Jamaicans.

Warmington, who is the Member of Parliament for South West St Catherine, has come under fire for the comments in which he seemed to suggest he would withhold public funds from the PNP's councillor-elect in the Old Harbour South Division, Dr Kurt Waul.

The PNP has called for him to be fired from the Cabinet.

In his statement on Wednesday evening, Warmington acknowledged the public's concerns, saying he realises his "statements on funding for Members of Parliament and Councillors have been misunderstood in public discourse".

"It was never my intention to imply that a duly elected Councillor should be denied rightful funding for their municipal division. I want to clarify: my remarks were focused on the established practice that MPs direct funds for constituencies, while councillors direct funds from the municipal council. These are distinct and separate channels," he said.

Regarding the use of the term "my money",  Warmington said he does not consider state funds allocated to constituencies as personal assets.

"These funds, allocated by the Central Government and directed in part by MPs, belong to the Jamaican taxpayers. My reference to 'my money' was intended to describe these allocations that I, in my role as MP, help oversee. It should also be noted that as MP I do spend my personal resources on constituency matters," Warmington explained.

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