Penn resists comparisons to Stacy Mather

Eighth District Representative Marlon Penn has rejected comparisons being made between himself and former opposition member Stacy Mather, saying his political record shows consistency rather than convenience.

Penn’s comments came during a recent appearance on the Talking Points radio programme, where host Damion Grange noted elected leaders sometimes change their tone for political reasons. He used Mather as an example, saying that while he was once a very vocal critic of the government, his tone shifted after crossing the floor. Grange referred to Mather’s recent praises for the government’s utilities bill and his crushing of the Opposition’s concerns during the debate.

The host said this left him questioning whether criticism or praise depends solely on which side of the House a member sits.

In response, Penn said Mather’s position is ultimately a matter for voters to judge when an election is called. “He will have to speak to the voters when an election is called; he’ll be judged accordingly,” Penn said.

Grange then challenged Penn directly, asking whether the same criticism could be levelled at him during his time as a member of the former unity government. It was at this point that Penn rejected that comparison, saying his record shows he was consistently outspoken even while sitting on the government side.

Penn explained that while he supported policies he believed were in the best interest of the people, he did not hesitate to speak out when he disagreed. He pointed to past debates where plans were being discussed to make Water and Sewerage a statutory organisation. Penn said he was “very adamant and very clear” with the minister at the time that he did not support that move.

I’m consistent

He stressed that his position did not change simply because of where he sat politically. “I’m not just going to change overnight because I’m here with you in the unity government,” Penn said, adding that his views on major policy issues have remained consistent over time. He added that when the government does something he believes is good for the country, he will say so, just as he will criticise actions he believes are not in the public’s best interest. “If something is good, I’m going to call it good,” Penn said, “not just because of the position I’m in.”

When pressed by Grange to name government actions he believes have benefited the people, Penn admitted it was difficult to find examples but highlighted one major decision. “One thing I would say is that it was the right decision to borrow money to address the infrastructural issues of the country,” he said.

However, Penn was quick to stress that the execution of that borrowing is not satisfactory for him. “The challenge that I have is the way that [the government] executed that money,” he explained, warning that without a clear plan and vision for how taxpayer funds are spent, the long-term impact could be burdensome.