People’s National Party (PNP) Member of Parliament (MP) for St Ann South Eastern, Lisa Hanna says she is “standing in solidarity” with Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) MP for Manchester Central, Rhoda Crawford, after unflattering remarks were made about Crawford by senior PNP members over the weekend.

Speaking at a constituency conference in Manchester Central on Saturday, PNP vice-president designates Ian Hayles and Richard Azan seemingly belittled Crawford.

How can you change a minister for a benchwarmer? How? Not even backbench, a benchwarmer. You had a minister down here. Minister of National Security and you move to minister of nothing. You had one of the most successful businessman in the country. What you move to now?” asked Hayles.

“Sometimes I wonder, if a some likkle tings a gwan, but it look like something wrong right up yah suh,” said Azan as he pointed to his head.

“She’s a bamboo fire in Central Manchester,” said Azan.

For her part, Crawford on Monday described the comments about her as “distasteful”, as she explained that “the electorate is no longer interested in the tribal and gutter politics.”

While signalling her support for Crawford in a Facebook on Tuesday, Hanna said that “Taking the road less travelled in life requires courage. But it’s knowing you’re not walking it alone that makes it worthwhile”.

She added: “Today I’m standing in solidarity with my sister MP [Rhoda] Crawford across the aisle; in a time where Jamaica needs all of us I’m disappointed by utterances that seek to stifle our women especially when they are unfounded.”

According to Hanna, “Just last week we stood together to convey that despite party differences we can accomplish so much when we look at the bigger picture.”

Hanna was referencing a group photograph taken inside Parliament last Tuesday with herself, Crawford, the PNP’s Natalie Neita-Garvey, and other JLP women.

“As women let’s continue to fearlessly shatter glass ceilings and retell our stories of breaking barriers, disproving misconceptions and reforming prejudices that have stifled the progress of women for centuries,” concluded Hanna in her Facebook post.

Meanwhile, the PNP Women’s Movement President, Patricia Duncan Sutherland, in a release on Monday, said the comments of both Hayles and Azan “have no place in a conversation on leadership and as a society we must learn to criticise the work of women without questioning their worth.”

Against that background, Duncan Sutherland said the movement has begun the conversation with both men, explaining the impact of their comments.

“… we hope that they will reflect and apologize,” she said.

Duncan Sutherland, in the meantime, said “an agreement” between the party’s General Secretary, Dayton Campbell and the party’s Women’s Movement has been reached with the aim of designing and executing “a programme of conversation and sensitisation in partnership with the secretariat for all our leaders”.

Further, the agreement will seek to “systematically uproot the patriarchal beliefs and culture that continue to undermine our collective commitment to respect, equality and partnership in our country.”

Added Duncan Sutherland: “We recognize that as a movement we have two roles to play in this process. We must hold our male counterparts to account as well as facilitate the conversation such that the awareness and the understanding of both men and women breaks the mindset and cultural norms. 

“This is a moment for learning, conversation and sensitisation. We have work to do,” she stated.