Estwick clears the air

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Economic Affairs Minister Dr David Estwick has denied "brandishing or threatening anyone with a weapon" within the precincts of Parliament last month.

Estwick issued the clear-the-air statement in Parliament on Tuesday amid a boycott by Opposition members, who have been pressing the Speaker and the Prime Minister to take action following the reported incident.

"On the day in question, Sir, certain remarks made soto voce and across the political divide caused me to leave the chamber and to get into a heated discussion with two members of the Opposition within the precincts of Parliament," he said, adding that on reflection, "the entire episode was unnecessary" and may have sent the wrong message to the wider community.

"However, Sir, let me make it abundantly clear to all that I did not initiate the confrontation and neither did I brandish or threaten with a weapon, any member of this House, as has been implicitly speculated," Estwick said further in his first public comment on the March 19 incident.