Two Progressive Labour Party MPs have spoken out about sexually inappropriate comments made by public figures in the wake of Marc Bean’s verbal exchange with a former One Bermuda Alliance senator.

While Kim Wilson, the Shadow Minister for Health, and Walton Brown, the Shadow Minister for Immigration and External Affairs, did not directly refer to the Opposition leader allegedly calling Toni Daniels a “ten cent political whore who is shared by best friends”, they both determined that sexually inappropriate comments call for an apology.

Asked for a reaction to the comments that were read out in the House of Assembly last week, Ms Wilson told The Royal Gazette: “I was not present at the polls [where the original exchange was said to have taken place] at the time, however I am of the belief that any and all negative comments made degrading women and/or the important role they play in our society should not be tolerated and should be withdrawn with an apology being issued by the maker of such comments.”

Mr Brown added: “I think that anyone who makes sexually inappropriate comments, who is a public figure, should apologise; they should withdraw those comments.

“I believe that women in general are not properly and fully respected in the political domain. Women need to empower themselves and I don’t simply mean in terms of having political power electorally, although that, too, needs to happen.

“A lot of issues that would be challenged immediately in more mature democracies don’t get challenged in Bermuda. Bermuda needs a women’s organisation that challenges the balance of power in what I believe to be a male-dominated society.”

Mr Bean said he did not wish to respond to the comments by his party colleagues.

The Opposition leader became the focus of attention in the House of Assembly last week when the OBA’s Patricia Gordon-Pamplin read out a BBM message reportedly sent by him to his PLP colleagues. It read: “I spent most of my time burning Nandi [Outerbridge] and Toni [Daniels].

“I told Toni in private that she is a ten cent political whore who is shared by best friends.”

Mr Bean went on to say in the House: “I will say this — to the men of the OBA, you know exactly what I’m talking about. That behaviour is a cancer and it’s unbecoming of womanhood and it’s being cultivated by the men in the OBA.”

Glenn Blakeney, Shadow Minister for the Environment and Infrastructure, said that, while he would not have used such words, he stood by his leader. “In the context of politics, there have been many politicians who have been referred to as political you know whats,” he said. “That’s not always been attributed to females; it’s been attributed, in the most part, to male politicians.”

“Anyone that chooses language needs to be careful because language is, indeed, powerful.

“The nature of politics, being as it is, there are all kinds of misspoken words that get out into the public realm. I understand it was a private conversation and, unfortunately, it is seen to be inappropriate.

“But we have heard [Premier] Michael Dunkley use profanity over the airwaves when there could have been children listening.

“In the context of politics, what is acceptable one day is not acceptable the next. We would all do well by raising the bar, but, unfortunately, we are human and we do have flaws and imperfections. It is about moving on with a higher level of commitment to maintaining higher standards.”

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