Mark Golding utter expletive after saying he never heard one word of “dirty bad words” on PNP platforms

It’s ironic, to say the least. Mark Golding, the President of the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP), who has consistently lectured the Jamaican political scene about decency and the use of language on public platforms, found himself caught in a moment of frustration on Friday. As he battled with a faulty microphone during a PNP meeting in South West St. Ann, Golding couldn’t hold back, letting loose with a curse word that echoed through the crowd: “bl*** c****t, this thing ya.”

Just a week prior, Golding had publicly condemned the use of “dirty bad words” by certain members of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), positioning himself and his party as the champions of decency in political discourse. He stood on his soapbox, holding up the PNP as the party of civility, contrast to the crude language he claimed dominated JLP platforms.

Golding’s expletive-laced moment, however, doesn’t come without its irony. How can the same man who lectures others on maintaining decorum allow himself to lose control of his words? This incident raises an important question: Is Mark Golding just another politician playing the “holier-than-thou” game, or is he someone who is too quick to judge others without considering his own humanity?

But let’s not kid ourselves—this utterance wasn’t solely about the equipment; we all saw the mic was functioning perfectly, allowing everyone to hear his words. It was about a man on the brink, grappling with a party that seems more lost than ever. The PNP is wrestling with perceptions of weakness, division, and inconsistency, and moments like this unmask a reality many would prefer to overlook: the PNP, as many argue, lacks a solid plan and has no credible political platform that resonates with the Jamaican public.

But Golding’s unintentional curse brings something else to the surface, too. It underscores the hypocrisy that often pervades political discourse. When you’re a leader constantly pointing fingers at others for what they say, you better be sure your own house is in order. Golding’s “slip-up” not only undermines his own credibility but casts a shadow over the very image of decency that he’s worked so hard to cultivate. He may have come down hard on others for their rough language, but at the end of the day, the truth remains: no one is above the occasional outburst.

Is it really time for politicians like Golding to stop pretending they’re superior to the rest of us? Could it be that the constant display of moral superiority is merely a façade to divert attention from their own failings? One thing is certain: Golding’s outburst, many argue, is far from an innocent mistake; he has consistently crafted an image of a raggamuffin rebel rouser, seemingly immersed in the Jamaican underworld, while paradoxically attempting to uphold a façade of integrity and a claim to be free from corruption.

Golding’s apology—or lack thereof—tell us just how deeply he understands the irony of his own words. It’s one thing to talk about being the “party of decency,” but it’s another thing entirely to back it up with action when the mic is on, and the pressure is on full blast.