“When yuh stand up in a big man name, and yuh want to pelt big man cuff, don’t cry like a little girl when yuh get two slap.”

This was the statement made by Attorney General Faris Al Rawi in the House of Representatives in the early hours of Saturday morning, which prompted House Speaker Brigid Anisette-George to rise to her feet to interject.

Al Rawi was, at the time, making his contribution to the Miscellaneous Provisions (FATTF Compliance) Bill, 2020.

“Attorney General…Attorney General…Attorney General, please” Annissette-George intervened, prompting Al Rawi to rephrase his comment.

“I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings tonight- I will rephrase. It have some soft personalities around and I don’t want to be too pejorative…” he shot back.

The House Speaker then took the opportunity to pointedly address the issue at hand.

“I notice a tendency to speak of girls in a particular way, maybe you haven’t realized it. And to speak of men in a particular way and I think we need to watch that in 2020,” she said, prompting members on the Opposition belt to bang the table in agreement.

In response, Al Rawi defended his statement as being Trinidad and Tobago vernacular, adding :  “One of the members in this House knows- when nobody stands up for women, I do.”

See the exchange below: