Atrocious behaviour by this high office holder.
Government Senator Laural Lezama-Lee Sing yesterday lamented an incident she witnessed at a Queen’s Royal College (QRC) Carnival fete where a well known person in public life was seen passing his hand between his girlfriend’s legs and her friends’ legs also– in plain public view.
She later told Guardian Media it was not a Government person.
Lezama-Lee Sing related the incident while speaking in yesterday’s Senate debate on a motion calling for Government to present within three months a legislative agenda and plan to more effectively address rising incidence of violence against females.
Lezama- Lee Sing lamented the behaviour of a group of so called “untouchables” in T&T.
She related how her friends and fiancé attended the Carnival fete where a well known personality of high office was there with his girlfriend and her friends.
She said the man ‘s behaviour was totally out of control as he kept passing his hand between his girlfriend’s legs and also between her friends’ legs– and then pulled out the girlfriend’s right breast to do as he wanted.
“Sometimes I have course to interact with this man and (what occurred) was totally unacceptable. This is the type of ‘untouchable’ we have to treat with. His girlfriend was saying ‘don’t touch me’, but he was just having his way with them . I don’t know if he was under the influence but it all happened in full view of the public,” she added.
“Women are the cradle of civilisation , it’s our duty to look after our women and children and this Government won’t shirk its responsibility and will do all in its power–but it’s time for all sectors to partner responsibly and give women their due,” she added.
Lezama-Lee Sing said she and her sister had discussed stories of fathers taking daughters’ virginity which she said is a reality in T&T also. The question was how to re-engineer people’s minds from that destructive practice .
Lezama-Lee Sing said she has three daughters and would “do anything to protect them.”
Noting the 2,000 school drop out level, she said all in T&T have to do better for their children not Government alone.
But she said the interest wasn’t there, she noted Girl Guides’ membership fell from 15,000-20,000 to under 5,000.
”What’s responsible for that? Have parents pushed them in that direction ? It returns to the question of what children are learning in homes .. if you learn daddy hits mummy or interferes with a sister, chances are you’ll do that too,” she said.
Acknowledging deficiencies in the system she noted solutions including the Youth Development Ministry to rewire youths thinking.
Civil society also has roles. “We can legislate till the cows come home but it’s to change people’s way of thinking and behaviours,’’ she said.
Independent Senator Maria Dillon Remy said Lezama- Lee Sing’s account of the fete incident almost brought her to tears .
She said action would have resulted if people had retaliated in a way required where one is being humiliated in public.
She said law was only part of solution to the grave problems facing T&T.
She agreed children learn what they see adding: “What they see at home is what they do.”
Based on the word “Respect” she called for Reduction of poverty so women won’t have to stay in abusive relationships.
