POLITICAL OMBUDSMAN Bishop Herro Blair ruled yesterday that the display of a coffin bearing markings about 'Baby Seaga' at a People's National Party (PNP) meeting in Clarendon on Wednesday was in breach of the Political Code of Conduct. He also demanded redress from the PNP in the form of an apology to Mrs. Carla Seaga and her family.
Bishop Blair will also be making a ruling next week with recommendations and suggestions on how campaigns should progress, including the use of flags, motorcades and graffiti.
The words placed on the coffin 'Pampers Seaga Baby Dead' with the picture of a baby drawn on it, is in violation of Appendix 1,4(C) of the Code, the Ombudsman said. This states that party officials, including platform speakers, should not make statements which are malicious in reference to opposing candidates, their family and party officials.
"This is drawing the political campaign into gutter politics and the Code into disrepute," Bishop Blair said in a letter to PNP General Secretary Maxine Henry-Wilson. "I therefore request of your party's leadership especially those that were present to condemn this act ... considering (Mrs. Seaga's) present state and the undue stress this must have caused her."
The makeshift coffin appeared at a public meeting of the PNP in Four Paths and bore markings, assumedly predicting the death of the child. Mrs. Seaga is due to have her baby this month. The green coffin was passed over the crowd and placed on the platform in full view of everyone, including the leadership of the PNP, said Delroy Chuck, JLP spokesman on justice.
The PNP yesterday "unreservedly and unequivocally" apologised for any insensitive reference made to the Seaga family.
"While we have ascertained that there was no intention to convey any reference to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Seaga's unborn child, the replica was done without the knowledge or approval of the Party's leadership," the PNP said in a statement. "The incident was below the acceptable standards of decency which the PNP upholds, it further points to the clear need for greater control of supporter exuberance at the grassroots level."
PNP representatives have also been sent to that part of Clarendon to find the Member of Parliament, so the party can ascertain who was responsible for the coffin.
Contacted last night, Mr. Chuck who had earlier issued a statement saying that remaining members of the JLP would not sign the Code of Conduct until Bishop Blair ruled, said that though the party had requested a media advertisement showing apology, at a meeting yesterday, they would stick by the Ombudsman's ruling.
"We wanted a paid advertisement and the Ombudsman ruled that in future this will be considered and demanded," he said. "When you have been hurt it's difficult to be satisfied. The sincerity of the PNP's apology can only be detected by a change in the conduct of its supporters after it deals with this incident."
Yesterday the National Organisation of Women and the Women's Freedom Movement(NOW/WFM) also expressed concern at the incident.
The NOW/WFM described the behaviour as disgusting, showing "a level of nastiness that cannot be tolerated by anyone, regardless of their political persuasion."
"What happened in Clarendon went beyond all bounds of acceptable and tolerable behaviour in any forum," the Organisation said. "Never in the history of our nation's politics have we witnessed such a level of unadulterated meanness in spirit and hatred."
The coffin display, it said, is to wish death on the child, an "act of gross cruelty."
The Gleaner correspondent who covered the meeting said that the coffin was carried to other conferences, the most recent being in York Town, Clarendon.
said that though the party had requested a media advertisement showing apology, at a meeting yesterday, they would stick by the Ombudsman's ruling.
"We wanted a paid advertisement and the Ombudsman ruled that in future this will be considered and demanded," he said. "When you have been hurt it's difficult to be satisfied. The sincerity of the PNP's apology can only be detected by a change in the conduct of its supporters after it deals with this incident."
Yesterday the National Organisation of Women and the Women's Freedom Movement (NOW/WFM) also expressed concern at the incident.
The NOW/WFM described the behaviour as disgusting, showing "a level of nastiness that cannot be tolerated by anyone, regardless of their political persuasion."
"What happened in Clarendon went beyond all bounds of acceptable and tolerable behaviour in any forum," the Organisation said. "Never in the history of our nation's politics have we witnessed such a level of unadulterated meanness in spirit and hatred."
The coffin display, it said, is to wish death on the child, an "act of gross cruelty."
The Gleaner correspondent who covered the meeting said that the coffin was carried to other conferences, the most recent being in York Town, Clarendon.
