St Clair Leacock, parliamentary representative for Central Kingstown, on Saturday lashed out at those who have criticized him for removing wreaths almost two months ago from the obelisk at Dorsetshire Hill.

Speaking at the New Democratic{{more}} Party (NDP) rally at Sion Hill last Saturday evening, Leacock told supporters that although he pays no mind to what is said about him, he is fed up of the remarks made about him, particularly in the media.

“I don’t care about them. I don’t listen to a lot of radio; it goes over my head. I really don’t have time for that. I am not wired that way. I have been in politics for over 15 years and I’m tired of Hezikiah bad, how much cheques bounce, how much this, that, how much wreath yo thief. Well, is better you thief wreath than rape.

“It is better to thief a wreath than to rape. And if people don’t want a list of their rape history, leave me and my wreath alone,” Leacock said, to loud cheers from the crowd. 

“As a matter of fact, I was up in the Quarry a few days ago with Mr Eustace, and one of them asked me: ‘Leacock what you do with the wreath?’ and I say ‘I put it on yo mammy grave’.” Leacock added.

On March 25, Leacock, in an interview with SEARCHLIGHT, admitted to removing wreaths from the monument to first national hero Paramount Chief Joseph Chatoyer at Dorsetshire Hill four days after the arrangements had been placed there during the National Hero’s Day ceremony on March 14.

Leacock explained that he took the items to retrieve the base wire rings from arrangements his wife’s floral company had provided. He said when he went to collect the rings, some of the wreaths had already been discarded in the garbage dump, so he retrieved them.

The parliamentarian, known affectionately as “The Major,” also had some choice words for Berisford Phillips, who is contesting the Central Kingstown constituency for the Unity Labour Party.

“Everybody knows why I am a major. I am a major because I joined the cadets, come through as corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major.

“And when me time come, I run out, train with the Barbados regiment, the Trinidad regiment the Guyana Defense Force, Venezuela, Canada, and so on and so forth. So Major is a fit and proper title for me. That is what I worked for and I earned.”