Diaspora members embarrassed by booing of Juliet Holness in Florida

Jamaicans in the US have expressed shock at the apparent booing of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Juliet Holness at a jerk festival in the City of Miramar, in Florida, on Sunday. 

As Holness took to the stage after being introduced by Jamaica's consul general based in Miami, Oliver Mair, boos rang out. 

Holness is the wife of Prime Minister Andrew Holness and is member of parliament for St Andrew East Rural.

Global Jamaica Diaspora Council member, Dr Allan Cunningham, who was in attendance, said that the behaviour of the crowd was embarrassing. 

“I do not think that she was necessarily the target, but whomever was there representing the Government would have been subjected to the behaviour,” he said. 

Cunningham said that it appears that people were venting their frustration over the direction of the country, especially in relation to crime and corruption.  

He said he believes the actions were unwarranted.

Andrea Service-Dixon, who was in attendance along with her husband, said that it was a small group at the back of the crowd that was booing. 

“On her being introduced by the CG (consul general), she was well received by the crowd. It was after the cheering subsided and she was about to speak that the booing could be heard. People were looking around to see where it was coming from because it was sustained,” she said. 

Service-Dixon said she did not think it was political, suggesting it was done simply to be disruptive. 

Jermain Morgan, co-founder of online shopping platform Grocery List Jamaica, said that he, too, heard the boos. 

Morgan said that Holness had earlier walked through the crowd and taken pictures with many people and was well received. 

“I had the opportunity to meet her and to take a picture with her and she was very accessible,” he said. 

The consul general sought to downplay the negative reaction.

“I heard some boos, but I also heard people cheering her,” Mair said. 

- Lester Hinds

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