The government of Jamaica has expressed its disapproval of remarks made by Frank Hester, the top donor of the Conservative party, due to concerns regarding a contract his digital health company signed.
In March, the Guardian reported that Hester, during a 2019 meeting, made derogatory comments about Diane Abbott, the first black woman to be elected to British Parliament. The comments, which included expressing a desire to hate all black women and suggesting Abbott should be harmed, are now being investigated by the West Yorkshire police.
Following the release of the comments, the health ministry of Jamaica has received demands to terminate an agreement, reportedly valued at $5 million, with Hester’s healthcare technology firm, TPP. The deal involves managing the nation’s electronic medical records.
According to the Jamaica Gleaner, the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) of Jamaica stated that it strongly opposes all acts of discrimination, such as racism and sexism, in its initial response to the matter.
The contract with TPP was signed before the ministry was informed of Hester’s statements.
The ministry urged TPP to ensure that Hester is held responsible for the comments he made. They stated, “We take this issue seriously and request that appropriate measures be taken within the company to hold Mr. Hester accountable based on the results of the investigations.”
Olivia Grange, Jamaica’s Minister of Culture, also expressed disapproval of the comments. In a statement published by the Guardian, she stated, “As a Jamaican woman, I was appalled to learn of a prominent Englishman making such a despicable statement that watching Diane Abbott on television made him ‘feel the urge to hate all Black women’.”
“She stated that the woman mentioned by him has Jamaican heritage, which made his statement a personal attack on not only myself, but all Black Jamaican women. As a representative of the Jamaican community, I extend full support to Diane during this challenging time.”
I wish for a resolution that will lead to peace in this matter.
Hester has expressed regret for making comments that were deemed “rude,” but maintains that they were not based on race or gender.
Lord Marland, a businessman and Tory donor who says he knows Hester, has previously cited TPP’s work in Jamaica to support his claim that Hester is not racist. Speaking on LBC, Marland said: “He travels widely overseas – he does a lot of a business in Jamaica, he does business in Malaysia, in Bangladesh, in places like that – so he’s not a racist.”
Dr Alfred Dawes, the opposition health spokesperson for Jamaica, expressed his disapproval of this defense on Monday, stating that it only adds to the harm caused. He was quoted as saying that the Jamaican government’s use of their interactions with Mr Hester as a rebuttal to the activism of the black British community, diaspora, and their allies is a serious violation of our history of fighting against oppression.
Last week, the former Jamaican opposition MP Ronald Thwaites urged the government to tear up its contract with TPP. He wrote: “Diane’s Jamaican sisters and brothers are now paying big money to implement the National Medical Records System. The Ministry of Health must cancel that contract now.”
Source: theguardian.com
