Minister for Youth Development and Sports, Kenson Casimir, is retracting a statement he made while introducing Julien Alfred at the mural unveiling in her honour on September 26 at Ciceron Primary School.
Casimir’s use of the Kweyol phrase “Met B***h yo tout!” to describe Alfred’s prowess did not go down well with some members of the public, who argued that such language should not be condoned, particularly in the presence of children.
At Monday’s pre-cabinet press briefing, the Minister acknowledged his mistake in using coarse language and apologised.
“I want to issue a formal apology for my pronouncement in my introduction to Julien Alfred at the Ciceron Primary School,” Casimir said.
“I think we all have had brief moments of lapses and in my three years in politics, I think this was the first. As a human being, I do not expect that it will be my last. [It was] a moment of just levity and fun and just the excitement of a long week of Julien Alfred celebrations and I really chose the wrong time and place to say what I said. I really want to apologise to everybody, every single Saint Lucian, and anybody that was offended by what I said.”
Despite this error in judgment, Casimir emphasised that his mistake should not detract from the significance and beauty of last week’s proceedings.
“I don’t think that should drown out what the day meant for Julien Alfred and Saint Lucia and what the week meant for everybody. As I said, human beings make mistakes. I think you have to own your mistakes as a human being and I have no problem doing that,” the Minister noted.
PHOTO: Stock image.
Seriously?! “Met bodah yo tout!”? That’s what we waist our energies raising and issue over?! This just goes to show the degree of ignorance of our people especially when it comes to the unfortunate negative attached to our beautiful Creole language. “Met bodah yo tout!”.. a worthy and relevant statement said in our language and we shame our minister, yet you very hypocrites would yell at a child saying, “Shut the hell up when I’m talking… I own your behind!” And that would be ok, because it’s said in English?! All of a sudden, this isn’t language that shouldn’t be condoned in use when speaking to or amongst children, correct? 🤦🏽♂️
Well please excuse me, but in the words of Ninja Dan, Kwèyól sé lung mama’w! So, Juju sé met bodah yo! With you’ll foolishness!
It only shows the level of ignorance and stupidity that floats in the minds of our elected persons in St Lucia today.
And ,this is nothing but maturity .well done mister minister . St.lucia is a bi-lingual society and most bi-lingual ppl unconsciously switch to they native/primary language in an emotionally charged state . When you can own your mistake no matter in which capacity you serve . People who “cannot be wrong ” are not fit for public office and also one should avoid including into one private circle or life . It is one of the most dysfunctional trait of a human being.
Glad that he saw the error of his language at that forum with many children who are impressionable. We need to change the direction of this country which is fast becoming a ghetto society. Good job Mr Casimir.
you were man enough to apologize that’s something most of them are to arrogant to do. I hope they all monitoring their own language and their children also . not that I am saying what you said was appropriate but it’s all hypocrisy. ofcourse their they will make an issue out of it
Will somebody lease be smart enough to give an accurate translation in English of the phrase “Met bodah yo tout!”, which the minister used in introducing Julien Alfred! Many online readers are not Kweyol speakers! Yet for close to a week this is being discussed and no one sees it fit to explain to the non-Kweyol community what he really said!!! Where is our journalistic commonsense or thoughtfulness!?
While there is nothing particularly wrong in the use of that phrase by the minister, there were many other ways he could have chosen given the context and formal nature of the occasion. It would not be deemed the best way, by students, for example, at an assembly, to introduce someone else. It is good that the minister realized this.
Meanwhile across the street from my house a rum shop is blasting loud vulgar obscene music day in day out corrupting my young child’s mind and upsetting the entire neighbourhood. We have called the police so many times to intervene yet they never show up.
The Kweyol phrase means the “master/best of all” or in control. Basically if someone holds you by your pants you cant do anything about it. I guess he was referring to Julien since she beat them all.
Either way, someone at this level should not be using this kind of language in public, it could have been said in a different and less vulgar way.
Very soon the defender of all things ghetto will come to the defense of the minister.
Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil? JEREMIAH 13: 23.
When one be he a politician or not, accustomed to talk crap, that one is bound at some time to say things not only to embarrass himself but the ones he or she represents.
Apologies what consists of the words; “I am sorry” I apologize is not the same as actually apologizing.
Casimie apologise for what?….this is a shed of hypocrisy, these are the same one’s that’s ashame to embrace our creole language and patowah(patois )even a biggest embarrassment that this is actually our creole month…..Met bodah simply means your toughest challenge.
We as a true and patriotic citizens that also respect and appreciate our creole use the term on each other for any challenge you encounter that you can’t seem to by pass or beat or even get over it,we’d say sa sey MET BODOU…..stop being prejudice of our folk parents language that they proudly instilled unto us…..there is no other creole like Lucian creole if you know what I mean,for instance the word SHALLOP is our national creole word and you’d hear it utter at any event if there’s a spontaneous mishap or so,and it will be uttered by every crevice and premise,rich or poor,young or old,stature no stature….when I tell you our creole is unique it’s unique,if you go to Matinique,Dominica,Guadeloupe,or Haiti you can never hear them collectively in the entire national stadium or events uttering the word shallop….i dare someone to prove me wrong on this one.
Oh well there there there….Really now ?? Children might hear ?? Jokers….. go in town central in Castries around 3 o’clock and I guarantee you hear worst from “the children “ go see for yourself.
Further more MR.Casimir this was well coarse because this was all about Julian Alfred and that little rock in the ocean she came from,can we also imagine this was the only moment in the entire function that creole was uttered and if international audience was catching a glimpse they actually acknowledge that JUJU Julian Alfred country speaks a bilingual language….this may seem embarrassment to some right now but in the future endevours ppl will embrace and be proud of it cause MR.Casimir said it he was heartically and had no I’ll intent….And for the international world MET BODAH in a st.Lucian term simply means A CHALLENGE YOU CANNOT DEFEAT.
Ppl have their mind in gutters with their gutter argument
Much ado about nothing.
Just imagine, after beating my secondary school teacher 6-0 ina series of chess games and in the presence of my fellow students I tell him “Mwen ki met bodah”. Would that be offensive or disrespectful?
Much respect to Mr.Casimir for owning up to his gaffe. I listened to his apology and I have a new found admiration for him. I hope other politicians take note.
My only issue with this situation is the hypocrisy of the SLP month pieces. Their defence is that it’s Kweyol so we should accept it. Kweyol or not, certain words/phrases carry a level of vulgarity and shouldn’t be used at official events. Save that talk for the cabarway.
Further, I remember a few weeks ago UWP’s Nancy Charles use a similar term ” nom mamao”. The SLP hacks were all over asking for an apology, just wondering if the same people demanded an apology from Casimir.