Leacock clears air on Heroes Day address

Parliamentary Representative for Central Kingstown St Claire Leacock does not want comments he made on National Heroes Day to be misconstrued.{{more}}

Leacock, when he spoke at the wreath laying ceremony, at the obelisk at Dorsetshire Hill, said that he looked forward to the day when he could appear at an official function in his own capacity, and not representing someone else.

“….I would have preferred if it was my own person, but it always appears that I’m representing an office, that of the Leader of the Opposition… but somehow it seems to befall on me that on every national occasion: Heroes Day, Poppy Day, Independence Day, Queen’s Birthday, the Major is standing in for an office….”

Following the ceremony, Leacock told SEARCHLIGHT that he did not want his comments to misinterpreted that he is eyeing a position of leadership; he said he would rather be at a function in an unofficial role.

“I don’t have to always be there at a function because I am in an official capacity,” Leacock pointed out.

“I am simply indicating that I come here out of my own respect, tradition and recognition, and that always gets lost… I don’t always have to be here because I am representing somebody else. I don’t have to be there in the shadow of somebody else.”

Indicating that it was his tenth time speaking at the function, the former head of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Auxiliary Police and Cadet Corps, said that he probably has been to more military parades than anyone at the function.

When asked if he thought his statements might be misinterpreted to mean that he is hoping to one day speak as prime minister, leader of the opposition or as a minister, Leacock said that it was not unusual for persons to get the wrong impressions about his statements, and said that he was “categorically not going to discuss that issue”. (JJ)