Public outcry about the recent statements made by two government ministers on the campaign trail has lead one to apologise.

In a front-page story in the Tuesday Gleaner, it was reported that Robert Montague, State Minister in the office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Local Government reform had apologised in a statement to the public.

The other Minister Everald Warmington is yet to apologise for his statements and seems to be taking quite a while. What both ministers did was poor and in bad taste. However, it was good to see that one minister saw that as a public servant, he was wrong and sought forgiveness.

We hope other public figures learn a lesson from what has happened in these cases. It seems some of them forget that they are public officials elected by the people to represent them. To tell people that you will not give them necessities that should be provided by the Government unless they vote for them, is disrespectful to the very people who elected them.

No official has the right to do this and even if the practice is not uncommon in campaigning, it ought to stop. Our public officials are accountable for the decisions they take in the public interest. Therefore they must be careful about what they say and do.

They must remember that the people who put them there can remove them. Contrary to what some may think, it is not a life time position. Therefore, we hope other officials will treat these posts and the people with the respect that they deserve.