(Trinidad Guardian) Energy and Energy Industries Minister Stuart Young is facing significant backlash from the public following a controversial “hot mic” incident in which he was heard making salacious comments about the Opposition in Parliament on Thursday.
The situation unfolded when Finance Minister Colm Imbert was recognised by Deputy House Speaker Esmond Forde to make further comments during the 2025 Budget debate.
As Forde prepared to transition to House Speaker Bridgid Annisette-George, Imbert returned to his seat. At that moment, several UNC members, including Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal, Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh, St Augustine MP Khadijah Ameen and Princes Town MP Barry Padarath, stood up to leave the chamber, leaving only a few Opposition members behind.
Young then criticised the departing Opposition members.
Following was the conversation recorded:
Stuart Young: All allyuh go. He would run girls now for all ah allyuh in the back room. Can’t use the PTSC buses anymore. They go bring the girls for all of allyuh now, including Kamla.
Colm Imbert: You going and use the bathroom? She going and use the bathroom.
Stuart Young: Yeah, she going and zammy!
Colm Imbert: Aye, what wrong with you boy?
(Laughter)
Terrence Deyalsingh: Oh God, Stuart.
Stuart Young: Don’t call my name!
Colm Imbert: What wrong with you?
Stuart Young: What the **** I (inaudible)
Colm Imbert: Aye, boy, boy, cool it. The mic on.”
Former PNM Finance Minister Karen Nunez-Tesheira was among those who condemned Young’s inappropriate language, after the video was circulated on social media. She noted the behaviour seemed to mirror that of his political leader.
“He is a protégé. He has been mentored by the Prime Minister. He displays the same attitude, the crassness, if I may be so bold, and a certain level of vulgarity that is unbecoming of a leader but consistent with what the current Prime Minister has displayed,” she stated.
“His behaviour and his conduct, which really does him no good and doesn’t reflect well on him, is pleasing to his prime minister because his prime minister has made very vulgar comments and very unbecoming comments in the past that Mr Stuart Young seems to have decided that that is going to be his modus operandi.”
National Transformation Alliance leader Gary Griffith, meanwhile argued that Young should not face disciplinary action for his comments, asserting that if there was no intent for the remarks to be public, it should be viewed as a private conversation.
“That usually takes place, I have been there before. I think there’s so much more going on in this country at this time for us to worry about comments being made not realising that the mic was on,” he said.