By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Senator Rodney Moncur said people who question his appointment as a violence interrupter with the Ministry of National Security are “not sanctified” or filled with the Holy Ghost.

Mr Moncur was appointed as an independent contractor in the role last month.

The controversial figure’s appointment has raised eyebrows and left many wondering what qualifications he has to occupy the post.

Asked to respond to those questioning why he was given the position, Mr Moncur said: “I think they’re not saved. They’re not sanctified and they’re not full of the Holy Ghost.”

Some have also called the appointment a conflict of interest as National Security Minister Wayne Munroe frequented Mr Moncur’s talk show before he was elected last September.

Instead, Mr Moncur questioned how Mr Munroe appearing on his show could be classified as such.

“Give me an example of what would be a conflict. If you came on my show, right, how would that be conflict?” he asked.

“There is no one in my generation who has played the role that I have played. I’ve inspired Marvin Dames to meet with a victim’s family. I’ve inspired the (former) attorney general, Allyson Maynard, to speak in Pinewood and I assured that the young men of Pinewood Gardens did not assault Marvin Dame nor them. The problem here is y’all are young. Y’all don’t know my history. That is the problem and the next problem among the journalists is they don’t do research.

 “There are many arguments that y’all have been advancing which is contrary to law and principally because many of the lawyers don’t understand how to do research. There are many arguments that y’all have been advancing which is contrary to law and principally because many of the lawyers don’t understand how to do research.… See I’m an uneducated man among educated people who’re dumb. So, they run on and they don’t know what they’re saying and the problem is they wouldn’t come to speak to me.”

 While speaking of an instance where he helped someone, he said: “……The problem that they have with me is I have strong views and they cannot beat me. They go to a national referendum and I beat them because they’re not in tune with the culture of (the) country.”

 Some women’s rights activists have spoken out against the appointment due to Mr Moncur’s previous controversial statements about women.

 Currently, there are ongoing discussions about gender-based violence due to a number of recent incidents against women and children.

 Asked about his plans to tackle this issue and concerns from activists, Mr Moncur said he has a wife and is opposed to violence.

 “Look I don’t want you to sound like the professor at the University of The Bahamas. What was her concern? She wanted to know if I saw an FNM being assaulted by a criminal what I would do. I said who asks people who are being assaulted are you an FNM, are you a PLP? Violence is against the law. Why do we talk about gender-based violence? I gotta whole woman who took a hammer and turned her husband’s head into corn beef. Violence against people is wrong. There is no one who can tell you that I have ever said I support violence.”

 However, he noted that he does not believe he can commit rape on his wife. Marital rape is another issue of contention.

 “See, I’m married. I don’t know - Many of these people who are talking about marital rape they don’t have no wife and they don’t have no husband. I sincerely believe that a wife should love to submit to her husband and if her husband is a rapist she should get rid of him,” the media personality argued.

 “I do not believe that I can commit rape on my wife. Now that other man might be able to commit rape upon his wife, but I really don’t think that I can. Now I ought to be persecuted because I don’t believe that? No, I don’t believe so.

 “My wife took an oath in a church that she will submit to me and that her body will be my body. Now if her body ain’t gonna be my body, who body is gonna be my body?”