KINGSTON, Jamaica – Senator Abka Fitz Henley has withdrawn comments made about Opposition Senator Donna Scott Mottley during a recent political gathering. At the event, he referred to her as “a twist-up mouth one”, drawing the ire of the People’s National Party (PNP) Women’s Movement.

“I see the old hypocrites a cuss media because they feel that there are some media entities that are fair to the Jamaica Labour Party. And I see a twist-up mouth one, Donna Scott Mottley, a say she shock that Abka Fitz-Henley join the Jamaica Labour Party…,” Fitz Henley said at the gathering.

Since the utterances, president of the PNP Women’s Movement, Patricia Duncan Sutherland urged Fitz-Henley to publicly apologise for what she described as “derogatory” comments.

Duncan Sutherland said she was also profoundly disappointed that Fitz-Henley used a political platform to launch a personal attack against a female senator.

“Mr Fitz Henley’s remarks were unbecoming and entirely unnecessary; they have no place in discussions about leadership. It is imperative for our society to critique women’s work without resorting to judgments based on their physical appearance,” she said in a statement Thursday.

“We recognise that as women, we have a dual role in this process. We must hold our male counterparts accountable and actively facilitate conversations that promote awareness and understanding, breaking free from entrenched mindsets and cultural norms,” she continued.

When contacted, Fitz Henley told Observer Online that if indeed Scott Mottley was offended by his statements, has has no issue retracting it.

“My comment was meant to convey that I found Mrs Scott Mottley’s vitriolic attack directed at me in recent weeks to be convoluted and totally inaccurate. I have absolutely no issue immediately retracting the ‘twist up mouth’ phrasing in prefacing my response to her attack and if in fact, she is offended, sincere apologies to her,” he said.

The PNP Women’s Movement also called on Gender Minister, Babsy Grange, Leader of Government Business in the Senate, Kamina Johnson Smith, and the Bicameral Caucus of Women Parliamentarians to join them in advocating for Fitz Henley’s commitment to receive guidance on the expected decorum and respect for Senators.