Opposition spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, Lisa Hanna has apologized for a blunder which resulted in her expressing condolences for the death of St Lucia’s Ambassador to the Organisation of American States (OAS) Anton Edmunds.
Hanna, in a news release on Wednesday, expressed regret at the unfortunate demise of the St Lucian diplomat, whom she claimed, was a victim of the Las Vegas mass shooting on Sunday.
Following Hanna’s press release, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamina Johnson Smith issued a statement urging Hanna to exercise restraint and sensitivity when dealing with diplomatic issues.
Johnson Smith said Edmunds had corrected the false report on Tuesday, and said St Lucia’s Foreign Minister Sarah Flood Beaubrun confirmed that “their ambassador is alive and well”.
The Foreign Affairs minister underscored the need for Hanna to exercise “caution and sensitivity in pronouncing on such matters, and indeed on matters generally associated with Jamaica’s foreign policy and relations”.
Johnson Smith extended her regrets to the people and Government of St Lucia for any distress caused by the statement attributed to Hanna, the spokesperson for the People’s National Party.
Hanna, who was recently appointed the spokesman on foreign affairs, said the news release with unverified information was inadvertently sent from her office.
Young Jamaica – the youth arm of the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), described the comments made by Hanna as reckless and unfortunate.
The group said Hanna was insensitive to not only the family of Ambassador Edmunds but the families of the 58 people killed and the more than 500 injured in the attack.
