Gender Affairs Minister Olivia Grange has called on People’s National Party (PNP) President Mark Golding to immediately fire Chairman of the PNP Human Rights Commission, Isat Buchanan, for what she called “misogynistic, crude, nasty, sexist, low and disgraceful language in reference to the country’s chief prosecutor.”

She also urged the disciplinary committee of the General Legal Council (GLC) to immediately probe Buchanan over the comments which she said he made under the guise of quoting his client, incarcerated dancehall star Vybz Kartel.

In an interview with a blogger, Buchanan quoted a sexually explicit lyric by Kartel in reference to Director or Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn. A video clip of the remark has gone viral online.

Speaking on behalf of the JLP Women’s Caucus, Grange said: “we are mindful not to appear to politicise the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions or the holder thereof. However, right is right and wrong is wrong and the truth of the matter is if the holder of any office in the PNP or anywhere directed that comment at any female, we’d have condemned it and insisted that action be taken against him.”

Grange has called on Golding to condemn Buchanan’s posture and is inviting the disciplinary committee of the GLC to probe Buchanan for breach of the canons of the profession.

The gender affairs minister said she’s disappointed that an attorney and chairman of a body within the PNP could bring himself to utter what she described as insolent and vile comments in reference to a woman, and said the comments represent a new low in the treatment of women by men in the PNP.

She also said Golding must take responsibility for the harassment and bullying that the DPP has faced.

“It is Mr Golding’s own action to politicise the DPP that has created the environment for some men in leadership of the PNP to believe they can refer to this woman public servant using hateful, vile, harassing and bullying language. The comments have disrespected every woman in leadership across Jamaica and must be concerning to every well-thinking man in politics and in the wider society.”

Since last week, there has been a political brouhaha over the move by the Government to amend the constitution to increase the retirement age of the DPP and the auditor general (AuG) from 60-65 years. Despite objections from Opposition Members of Parliament and senators, the Government used its superior numbers in the Parliament pass the legislation.

In the meantime, Grange said she is inviting all women in leadership, including PNP Chairman Dr Angela Brown Burke and the PNP Women’s Movement President Patricia Duncan Sutherland, to join her in condemning Buchanan’s comment.