Damion Mitchell, News Coordinator - Radio

Warmington

Prime Minister Bruce Golding says he would be talking with Member of Parliament for South West St. Catherine, Everald Warmington, about his behaviour towards the media.

Mr. Warmington, who is also the State Minister for Water and Housing, has repeatedly insisted that he does not speak with the media.

The Prime Minister announced the meeting on Wednesday, one day before another abrasive display by Mr. Warmington.

"It's certainly not what we want," the Prime Minister told The Gleaner/Power 106 News after addressing the National Day of Prayer at the National Arena.

"Mr. Warmington is going to need considerably more speaking to."

Responsibilities

The Prime Minister said that, as a state minister of Government, there were certain responsibilities that Mr. Warmington had to fulfil.

Late last year, the Prime Minister reprimanded Warmington for comments he had made on a political campaign.

Mr. Warmington had suggested that Govern-ment would withhold relief benefits from Hurricane Dean victims in Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine, if they voted against the Jamaica Labour Party. He has since apologised for those comments.

Mr. Warmington did not sign the apology that was circulated to the media, but the Prime Minister said he had received a signed apology.

Mr. Warmington was arguably rude when reporters tried to question him about his utterances after a Parliamentary sitting. Recently, he hung up the phone on a Nationwide News Network reporter who was seeking his reaction to a protest over bad roads in his constituency.

Yesterday afternoon, Mr. Warmington hung up the phone on a reporter from The Gleaner/ Power 106 News Centre on two occasions when he tried to speak with him on the impending meeting with the Prime Minister.

damion.mitchell@gleanerjm.com