I am not into devil worship, says Montague as he apologises for obeah man comment

Minister of National Security Robert Montague yesterday apologised for the "(my) uncle is a obeahman" comment, which became the subject of public discussion, triggering concerns that he was handling the serious security portfolio in a flippant manner.

In a statement to Parliament, Montague said his remark was meant to be a joke, but he later discovered that many persons were not amused.

"They were offended, and rightly so. I want to apologise for the remark and the offensiveness it has caused and to give the assurance and publicly state I am not into devil or evil worship in no way, shape or form," he declared.

The national security minister also made a stunning disclosure that the police have discovered "altars" to facilitate devil worship in many places where raids have been conducted by the security forces.

Montague described this development as a most dangerous trend, noting that members of the clergy were also disturbed by this practice.

"The savagery, the brutality and horrific nature of some crimes point to the sacrifices to these evil forces," he said.

However, despite Montague's seeming penitence, his opposition counterpart, Fitz Jackson, chastised him for handling the national security portfolio in a frivolous manner. "The business of national security is not a joking matter," said Jackson.

He also took the minister to task for inviting entertainer Desmond 'Ninja Man' Balentine, who, at the time, was before the court for murder, to address senior cops in an attempt to boost the morale of the police force. Ballentine has since been convicted for murder.