‘Steups’ irritates Robin during debate

UNC Senator Robin Montano threw a fit yesterday when he was “steupsed” at by Minister of National Security Martin Joseph. Montano was piloting his motion calling on the Senate to condemn the use of State funds for party political purposes by the Government. The motion also asks the Senate to recommend that steps be taken to have all those responsible for the ads repay the monies to the Treasury. Montano was unusually calm when he started, saying he was going to rise above partisan politics and clinically present his basic argument that it was wrong to “mess with the people’s money.” It was while he was referring to his cousin, who was murdered almost eight years ago, that he suddenly exploded.

“Don’t steups!” he said turning to Joseph and pitching his pen on his desk. Senate President Linda Baboolal told him that he was going very well and there was no need to misbehave like that. “I loved him like a brother. And I resent strongly when I mention his murder, the Minister of National Security steups. It hurts! I feel the murder as if it were yesterday. So don’t steups! Especially when he (Joseph) knows who did it or ought to know!” Montano said indignantly.

Montano then got back on track saying the issue of a Government using public money to pursue its own agenda, was a black/white issue. “Either you accept it or not,” he noted. Quoting from Mays he said it was wrong to seek by improper means to influence MPs or to intimidate MPs or incite people to telephone MPs then to “demand” that they vote for the anti-crime legislation in the manner that was done in the advertising blitz last year.