KINGSTON, Jamaica – Member of Parliament for Central Manchester, Rhoda Crawford, has sought to dispel rumours that she is romantically involved with Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

In an interview with Nationwide Radio’s Cliff Hughes on Wednesday, Crawford, clearly disturbed by the chatter regarding her personal life, said accusations directly targeting her character are “heartbreaking,” especially given how hard she has had to work to achieve her political success.

“I wake up and see some wild accusations, and you know Cliff, I don’t want to really get out there and say certain things now, but at the right time I will,” she expressed, noting that she has come under tremendous attack in recent times. “It is because of my love for my people and my love for my country that I am sticking this out and fighting hard. I don’t know if, in recent times, any other young individual has come under the kinds of attacks I have faced and why. I came in as a young person from a poor family, selling in the market with my mother to help get a good education,” Crawford stated.

Speaking of education, the MP said she has had to put her pursuit of even higher education on hold to ensure she fulfils her political mandate. According to her, instead of applauding the efforts of a young politician putting in the work, criticism rears its head. She expressed that the latter also comes from within the political space.

“Instead of applauding the efforts of the young member of parliament, you have people start off with a rumour about ‘how Rhoda manage to do so much work, she must be getting more money,’ and now they keep adding to it, ‘oh, she must be involved with the Prime Minister, that’s why she’s getting more money.’ These things are heartbreaking,” she shared.

Crawford said the rumour mills have continued to turn, as she has also seen claims that she was impregnated by the Prime Minister, rumours she described as “sickening.”

“Those things are hurtful, those things are sickening, and then you have others that take it and run with it and put this out there without any consideration for how these things hurt people and their families,” she continued.

Despite seeking legal advice as to a course of action to address the rumours, she decided to “suffer through it” as she believes her personal life is her prerogative and there is no truth to any of the rumours.

“I said to myself, I am willing to suffer and push through this because I know there is no truth to it. I suffered through it, battled through it, and am still suffering through it,” she shared. “My reputation has taken a hit because I decided not to share my personal life.”

Crawford revealed that the pregnancy rumours started during a time she was having issues with fibroids and her “belly had a little bulge.” She said a joke was made by a parliamentarian from ‘the other side’ and things spiralled from there. She did not name the politician who made the comment.