Anil: Verna’s attack on PM, vile and dishonest

Roberts held a media briefing on the sidewalk outside the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair yesterday to respond to the comments from the former Gender Youth and Child Development.

He told media he was deeply hurt and disappointed by St Rose-Greaves, “a woman I had a tremendous amount of respect, and love for.” Roberts and St Rose-Greaves worked at Gayelle television, and the Sports Minister said he visited her home during Christmas.

He said it was “vile, dishonest, malicious” for St Rose-Greaves to cast aspersions on the PM.

Giving his opinion on her motives Roberts said, she “tried to railroad this Cabinet into her opinion with the Gender Policy. ”

“Verna St Rose Greaves attempted to not only in the media, but also inside the Cabinet, railroad the entire Cabinet and the Prime Minister did not stand for that, which is why Verna is on the outside and she cannot accept that,”said Roberts.

He said the former minister had voiced a “strong opinion” on two issues in the policy–abortion and gay marriage and tried to force her opinion on the Cabinet.

“The PM and my other Cabinet colleagues would not accept that; we wanted to go for thorough discussion.” He questioned how St Rose-Greaves could “put the cart before the horse” and voice an opinion before the consultation process was done. Roberts said she was fired because she had adopted a stance of “her own way, or the highway.”

Responding to a question at the post-Cabinet media briefing on the status of the policy, current Minister of Gender Marlene Coudray said the document was before the Finance and General Purpose Committee of the Cabinet.

“It is almost at the end, but we are making sure we consult with everyone, who has any input to make. The Prime Minister has asked that we call in anyone who wanted to say something,” she said.