It is unfortunate, yet not surprising, that the latest One Bermuda Alliance chairman would double down on the party’s decision to announce former senator Marcus Jones as a candidate for the next General Election. This is the same Marcus Jones who resigned in disgrace just 18 months ago for shaming victims of sexual assault.

Jones resigned in February 2022; his sexist and victim-blaming comments were extremely recent, which is even more disturbing given all the research-backed public education regarding the negative impact this type of rhetoric has on survivors and their willingness to report attacks.

These comments followed Jones’s previous public declaration of his “staunch” support for the sexist, misogynistic Donald Trump. In January 2021, as a sitting senator, Jones took to social media to declare: “Since he was elected as president in 2016, the Holy Spirit has prompted me to be an intercessor for your president who in that time has become my president ... I am a minority supporter of the president in my community but a staunch one.”

In response to the community’s outrage for this social-media statement, the OBA advised that its “candidate’s opinions may not necessarily reflect the sentiment of the party”.

Politicians’ opinions matter.

On both sides of the aisle, we have seen people have to take responsibility for their public comments and/or actions. However, it is clear that with the recalls of Ben Smith and Marcus Jones, the OBA does not feel that it needs to take this responsibility.

It makes one wonder who will be the next OBA standard-bearer? Will it be Leah Scott? Will it be Michael Fahy?

What does Smith’s South candidate Ben Smith, who is the national swimming coach of young persons, think of blaming the victims?

We call on the latest OBA leader, Jarion Richardson, who spoke at length about integrity, to let the public know where he stands personally on Marcus Jones’s candidacy and the comments that led to his resignation.

Does he truly support his candidacy? Does he support his comments? Why does he want Marcus Jones representing the OBA in Pembroke West?

• Lauren Hayward-Bell is the deputy chair of the Progressive Labour Party and a member of its Women’s Caucus