Daley apologises a week after controversial remarks

It took one week, but Denise Daley, the People's National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament for eastern St Catherine, has offered a full  apology for controversial remarks she made from a political platform last Sunday.

Addressing PNP supporters during a meeting to introduce Jennifer Housen as the party's caretaker for west rural St Andrew, Daley said people who wear green are not tolerated in her constituency and would be asked to leave.

Green is the colour of the governing Jamaica Labour Party.

The comments have drawn widespread condemnation, with some commentators suggesting that Daley's utterances could take the country back to the tribal politics of a decade ago.

However, the PNP, in a statment today, said Daley now understands that her remarks were not appropriate and regrets making them.

The party said it was not the intention of the second-term lawmaker to offend anyone and insisted that she has no plans to remove anyone from her constituency because of their political affiliation.

"Based on all of the subsequent commentaries surrounding the statement, she now understands that it was not appropriate and regrets making such remarks," the PNP said.

The party acknowledged that this did not change the fact that the remarks could have been interpreted and the fact that it could cause unease among residents in sections of her constituency.

However, it said throughout her 31 years as a representative at the local and national levels Daley "has enjoyed warm relations with political opponents and was therefore offering no excuses for her statement."

"Ms. Daley offers a full apology to her constituents, the Political Ombudsman, the People's National Party, and the people of Jamaica for the remarks made and said she will continue to conduct herself in a matter consistent with peace and goodwill, and the lowering of political tension and tribalism," the party said.