Wife of Opposition Leader, ‘talk show host,’ clash at airport

The wife of this country’s Opposition Leader, while admitting that she did confront a local radio talk show host about something he said on his programme, has denied that she used foul language to him.{{more}}

Jennifer Eustace told SEARCHLIGHT on Monday that while she exchanged words with Kingsley DeFreitas over the weekend, they were not as he alleged.

“As God is my witness, and I pride myself in being a Christian woman, I never used foul language to Mr De Freitas and if that is printed that he said I used foul language I will produce my cell phone….

“I am not the type of person to walk up to anybody and curse them out and blow them out,” Eustace, who indicated that she was incensed by the allegations, said.

In a letter sent to SEARCHLIGHT, De Freitas wrote that “the wife of a leader of a political party” came looking for him at the E.T. Joshua Airport, where he works as a taxi driver.

In his letter, he said that he felt “abused” by the woman because of what was said to him.

When pressed by SEARCHLIGHT in a follow-up phone call, De Freitas admitted that the individual in question was Jennifer Eustace, wife of Leader of the Opposition Arnhim Eustace.

He said that the confrontation took place on Saturday, October 5, at about 9 in the morning, and stemmed from comments made about the Opposition Leader on the talk show he hosts on Cross Country Radio.

“…. So I invite Chester Connell and Steven Joachim…. So we were talking about leadership and they were critical of Arnhim, and Chester said he has a love for Arnhim, but Arnhim’s leadership is weak, but Joachim expressed the same sentiments and they say if the NDP (New Democratic Party) wants to win they have to change the leader, so I say to him (Chester) ‘do you love Arnhim?’ and he said ‘of course’, and I say to him ‘you know he has a beautiful wife… and I say his daughter is a beautiful human being and we were having fun on the radio; we didn’t say anything bad about her…. So I came at the airport and [Mrs] Eustace call me,” De Freitas recounted.

“Now [Mrs] Eustace tell me I musn’t call she daughter name on the radio and I must stay far from she husband…. She criticize me…”

He then alleged that she used indecent language.

“I heard about her behaviour already, but is the first time I experience it from somebody who is supposed to be more responsible,” De Freitas added.

“That personality that she display, I heard about it… but now I experienced it. I say boy, I will stay far from this woman here.”

Eustace, in her defence, said that she confronted De Freitas because of what was implied when her daughter was mentioned during his radio show, and it had nothing to do with what was said her about husband.

She said that when her daughter was mentioned, De Freitas started singing a particular song, and this upset her.

“I told him… that he could do what he wants with Mr Eustace, once he doesn’t get personal, but from the time he interferes with my daughter, that I will become a tiger cat.

“I am incensed. It is totally incorrect. I said when you interfere with my daughter, I will become a tiger cat

“He is a liar, as God is my witness,” Eustace stressed.

Eustace said that she has evidence of the conversation, as she recorded it on her cellular phone.

“I taped it on my cell phone for my own protection… because people on radio think they are above criticism…,” she added.

De Freitas told SEARCHLIGHT that he feels it is his duty to offer his criticism about any individual, as long as he remains respectful.

He said his critique is not done with malice nor contempt.

He said that he was approached by the wife of the Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves in the past, who also offered some words of “advice” to him, but with a different tone.

“[Mrs] Gonsalves came to the airport about two months ago, and she say ‘Kingsley, you putting on some weight’. She say ‘I can remember when you were much more handsome….’

“She say ‘hear what you must do.’ She said leave her husband alone, in a joking way, but she say: ‘Dr Gonsalves is Dr Gonsalves, but when he is Prime Minister deal with the prime minister aspect of him.’

“She wasn’t rude, she wasn’t robust… when I contrast the approach of the people, one is ladylike and one is terrible, and I does criticise Dr Gonsalves hands down, every day.

“I have love for Arnhim Eustace the same way Hans King loves the Prime Minister. I respect Mr Eustace. I think Mr Eustace has something to offer in terms of the finance of the country.

“I think that his leadership is weak, but that doesn’t change how I feel about Arnhim, but I was really disappointed in the way [Mrs] Eustace handled herself, because that is not what I expected from her. I was told that she was robust and boisterous, but I never really anticipate that she would be that vocal, so I felt really kind of ashamed and abused.

“I wouldn’t call her husband name on the radio again, not a matter of afraid, but I wouldn’t want to be confronted like that anymore at all.

“I does defend Arnhim and look how [Mrs] Eustace behave, I was disappointed man, seriously,” the radio host said.