(Trinidad Guardian) Port-of-Spain Mayor Raymond Tim Kee is expected to tender his resignation today.
His decision comes one day after scores of concerned citizens and human rights activists staged a protest at Woodford Square in Port-of-Spain, calling for him to resign over comments he made on the discovery of Japanese pannist Asami Nagakiya’s body at the Queen’s Park Savannah on Wednesday.
In a statement issued on Saturday on the Port-of-Spain City Corporation letterhead, Tim Kee stated that he noted the continued outrage and hurt over statements attributed to him.
He said he deeply regretted the consequences of the statements and apologised unreservedly to those who had been affected.
On Wednesday during a news conference at City Hall, the mayor was questioned about the discovery of an unidentified female masquerader. Later that night she was identified by police as Nagakiya.
Tim Kee’s response to reporters at the news conference was that women did not need to behave in a vulgar and lewd manner to enjoy themselves during Carnival.
He said, “I spoke of some of the things that I see women do, assisted by men, of course, but the woman has the responsibility that they ensure that they are not abused. You can enjoy Carnival without going through that routine.”
Tim Kee added that women needed to maintain a level of dignity during Carnival festivities.
Following his statements which created outrage on social media and among different civil society groups, Tim Kee issued a statement on Thursday apologising, saying his statements were taken out of context.
But it’s not the first time the mayor has made such remarks about women’s behaviour during Carnival.
In 2014, speaking to reporters at the Downtown Carnival judging point in South Quay, the mayor said, “I see some women do some things with some men—nothing for the imagination, you can’t do that.”
He said he felt that some of the costumes he had seen then were “unacceptable—almost like a beach party on the street. I hate to say this, some women just don’t care.”
Calls on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley for Tim Kee to resign fell on deaf ears as the PM said the controversial remarks did not warrant a dismissal.
Rowley said Tim Kee may have “misspoken” and his People’s National Movement Government (PNM) did not support victim blaming.
WomanTra TT started a petition on Wednesday calling for Tim Kee’s resignation and up to last night the petition had reached over 10,000 signatures.
Tim Kee is also the treasurer of the PNM.
In November 2013 he was elected unopposed as mayor. He was also the president of the T&T Football Association, but was voted out last November.
When Sunday Guardian contacted Tim Kee yesterday he said his resignation statement had been issued to all media houses and that he would be engaged in a meeting that would last an hour.
