ALTHOUGH People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Councillor Khame Sharma has been accused of peddling only negative talk during City Council meetings, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) Councillor Welton Clarke has called for Sharma to be respected.

“Sharma should be respected although we may not be from the same claw,” Clarke offered at last week’s statutory meeting.

He made the observation after Sharma was heckled by other City Councillors for asking a certain question, which was later answered by Deputy Town Clerk Sharon Harry when another councillor, Alfred Mentore, asked the very question.

Clarke noted that Sharma was being heckled whenever he stood up to speak and that an established decorum or standard should be applied to all councillors irrespective of their political affiliation.

Deputy Mayor Lionel Jaikarran who chaired the meeting in Mayor Patricia Chase-Green’s absence, recalled that Clarke had brought the matter of Sharma’s treatment up in the past, but opined that there was no animosity behind councillors’ heckling.

Sharma’s fellow PPP Councillor Bishram Kuppen said he too had observed how the councillor is treated each time he gets up to speak. He said Sharma should be afforded a proper opportunity to speak instead of councillors always trying to shut him up.

Other Councillor Noelle Chow-Chee offered that councillors ought to give respect before they can be afforded the same. “Sharma always come here to bad talk. He can’t be allowed.”