Warmington hits back

Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer

IT WAS a hot week for Everald Warmington, the controversial political figure who found himself at the centre of a row with the media.

Yesterday, a cooler Warmington insisted that he had never proposed that journalists should be locked out of the Parliamentary Committee that he chairs which examines the work of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

"I have never taken that stance," declared Warmington.

Asked where the comment originated, Warmington responded "(you can) ask whoever wrote it, but I have never taken that stance."

Warmington's sharp tongue, for which he is well known, was reportedly unleashed on the media this week in the aftermath of a report carried by The Sunday Gleaner that East Central St Catherine MP, Natalie Neita-Headley had breached the rules of the CDF.

The Gleaner reported on Wednesday that Warmington had decried The Sunday Gleaner news story, characterising it as "gutterism" and had suggested that the media should continue to be barred.

"The CDF is here to stay," he declared at Tuesday's meeting.

Warmington, the MP for South Western St Catherine was supported by another Government member, Dr St Aubyn Bartlett.

Pressed further as to whether it was his view that the media should be barred from covering the committee meetings, Warmington said, "the Standing Orders (rules of Parliament) do not call for that."

Warmington told The Gleaner yesterday that he had no quarrel with the media.

"I have nothing with the media," Warmington asserted. "There may be something wrong with the media, but not with me," he quipped.

Asked whether he was spoken to by Prime Minister Bruce Golding, Warmington declined to comment, saying, "I will be making a further statement in the week coming up."

appropriate time

When The Gleaner requested that he elaborate, Warmington said, "I will say what I have to say at the appropriate time," he declared. "I have an appropriate statement to make at the appropriate time."

He told The Gleaner that his final statement on the matter would be forthcoming next week Tuesday.

Asked if he was angry with the media, Warmington declared, "No, no, no, I would never descend to that level to be angry with anybody."

Warmington also declined to comment on reports that he wants the representative of the Office of the Contractor General barred from the meetings.

He promised that any response that he has would be contained in the statement that would be made in the coming week.

But Warmington has already hit back, declaring that the committee was not empowered to prevent the OCG from attending the meetings.