Leaders need to be held accountable, women urge

The following are responses from powerful women in society on the recent controversy involving former Member of Parliament Everald Warmington.

Faith Webster - executive director of the Bureau of Women's Affairs

I believe the conduct of anyone at any level should be exemplary to everyone in general, not just women. We need to have respectful behaviour to one another, and persons in positions of leadership and authority need to realise the younger generation is looking to them so they need to be in good stead. In the words of our National Anthem, 'teach us true respect for all.

Dr Donna Hope Marquis - senior lecturer in the Department of Cultural Studies, University of the West Indies

Someone once said we get the government we deserve and we get the parliamentarians we deserve. We are not to allow them to get away with it. They need to be held accountable for their actions, not only as individual persons, but as parliamentarians who are representing us. They are being a poor model for the young people.

Yvonne Hope, owner of Ashanti Oasis Vegetarian Restaurant

A lot of politicians have no respect for women. They abuse their power and for too long we allow them to get away with it. They don't know how to deal with power gracefully; once they get it, it tends to fly to them head. Their behaviour is a gross disrespect and I am disgusted by it.

Lorraine Ross-Clunie, entrepreneur, Elegant Weddings

"We have been putting up with it for a long time. Not just Warmington, but several others who behave badly to women and others. We sell ourselves short by accepting it and putting up with it. Warmington is a reflection of society. A lot of our public officials are disrespectful and we need to start stopping them in their tracks before it gets to this stage.