Wehner Declines to Trade Insults After Browne Criticism

UPP Senator Jonathan Wehner has responded to criticism from Prime Minister Gaston Browne, saying he will not engage in a “tit for tat” exchange despite what he described as “unfortunate remarks” directed at him.

In a statement posted to social media, Wehner thanked relatives, supporters, church members, youth parliament colleagues and members of the public who reached out following comments made about him by the prime minister.

“I want to publicly express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to my relatives, church family, UPP family, youth parliament colleagues, friends, supporters, well-wishers and all citizens and residents of our beloved Antigua and Barbuda who called, texted or commented on social media to offer their support and encouragement in response to the unfortunate remarks hurled at me by the Prime Minister Gaston Browne,” Wehner said.

The senator said political leaders should seek to elevate rather than diminish public discourse.

“It is unfortunate that our leaders continue to lower the bar of our political and national discourse by engaging themselves in frivolous and disgraceful comments which debase the high office they hold,” he said.

Wehner said he would not respond in kind to the prime minister’s remarks.

“I will not degrade the Christianity I profess or the public office I hold by participating in the ‘tit for tat’ melee of disgracefully juvenile discourse often spewed by our leaders,” he said.

He added that he was not seeking an apology from Browne.

“Nor will I waste any time asking for an apology that I know will never come, especially when the Prime Minister has consistently shown the nation this is who he is throughout his 12 years in office,” Wehner said.

Instead, the senator posed a series of questions to the public about the standard of conduct expected from elected officials.

“Is this the behavior we find desirous in our nation’s leaders? Is this the behavior you want your children to emulate?” he asked.

Wehner urged citizens not to remain silent when public officials engage in conduct that he believes diminishes the offices they hold.

“Let us never condone or be silently complicit when those who occupy the high office we, the people, elected them to debase that office through their unbecoming behavior,” he said.

The statement follows remarks made by Browne on his Browne and Browne radio programme, where he criticized Wehner’s conduct following the opposition’s walkout from Parliament during last week’s controversy involving Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle. Browne described Wehner as “totally agitated” and suggested the young senator was “going down the wrong path.”