Opposition Leader Mark Golding is today (September 11) facing mounting backlash for a ‘joke’ delivered at a People’s National Party (PNP) constituency conference last night in which he was seen removing a padlocked chain from the neck of an ardent party supporter. 

The clip, which continues to make the rounds on social media, has Jamaicans in collective shock and disgust at the optics some have said is reminiscent of slavery. 

Golding, who hosted the South St Andrew constituency conference on Sunday at the Tony Spaulding Sports Complex in Arnett Gardens, was heralded by PNP general secretary Dayton Campbell as the “man to release” the shackled constituent. 

The moment, which occured around 9:30 pm, began with Campbell’s introduction of the constituent, who identified himself as ‘Big Stone’. 

The dreadlocked man appeared on stage with a chain fixed around his neck as he imitated difficulties breathing. 

When asked by Campbell about his get-up and why he was distraught, ‘Big Stone’ claimed that the chains were representative of the “bondage” imposed on him by Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) leader Andrew Holness. 

“Andrew Holness hav’ mi unda bondage fi seven years, and wi tyad a’ di Labourites!” said the man.

Even after admitting one ‘ought to be careful when uttering words’, the PNP general secretary upped the ante, riling up the crowd with a prophesy-eque rant that Golding has all the answers to Jamaica’s woes. 

“Lord, have mercy. I get a feeling; I have a feeling that Mark Golding has the key to release him out of bondage!” Campbell noted.

Golding, who was initially seated, rises and frisks a key to ‘free’ his constituent, eliciting raucous cheers and fanfare from politicians, political aspirants on stage, and the throngs of PNP supporters gathered.

The PNP president and his contituent then jointly hold the chains aloft as ‘Big Stone’ celebrates his ‘liberation’ to the lyrics of Buju Banton’s ‘Buried Alive‘ single.

WATCH:

Clips of the widely circulated political gaffe have triggered a sense of unease among Jamaican users of X, formerly Twitter, who denounced its representation of crass humour. 

For some, the jibe was evocative for all the wrong reasons. 

In their eyes, the overall ‘joke’—particularly its use of chains—was a poor decision on the part of Golding, whose ‘nearly white’ complexion connotated a comparison to chattel slavery.

Flummoxed by the optics of it all, others refused to believe the ‘liberation joke’ was real, arguing that it had to be a deep fake clip. 

MORE REACTIONS: