McAveety's star rises in Philippines

Published on Saturday 19 June 2010 20:36

HIS Holyrood star has fallen dramatically with his remarks about an attractive girl in his committee room, but MSP Frank McAveety is in the unlikely position of having earned himself a whole new group of female fans.

The Labour MSP was forced to resign as a parliamentary convener last week after being overheard on a microphone making certain remarks about a "dark and dusky" maiden during a committee hearing. But in describing her as having "that Filipino look", he has become something of a celebrity in the country after his remarks were covered extensively by the Philippine media.

Newspapers including the Philippine Daily Inquirer and the Manila Bulletin covered the story, with the latter even printing a (somewhat inaccurate) cartoon of the hapless former sports minister whispering "she's got that Filipino look" while a loudspeaker above his head broadcast the comment.

One Filipino commentator, Ducky Paredes, pointed out on his blog that a Filipino politician "would not even apologise for such a remark", while on a Filipino discussion forum, one Filipina remarked "I sure would not complain, and I have not heard any of our feminists shouting curses at the Scottish Parliament". Another said "I find it a complimentary comment" while another offered the MSP for Shettleston "kudos" for his remark.

Filipinos also took to social networking site Twitter with one tweeter asking "how is that offensive?" and another pointing out "That was a compliment!"

McAveety's remarks were made to a Holyrood clerk during a meeting of Public Petitions Committee, which he convened until last week. The MSP focused his attentions on the girl during a break in the meeting on Tuesday.

McAveety was overheard saying: "There's a very attractive girl in the second row, dark … and dusky. I know, we'll maybe put a wee word out for her. She's very attractive looking, nice, very nice, very slim. The heat's getting to me."

He then commented: "She looks kinda … she's got that Filipino look."

McAveety then compared the woman to the subject of a painting by Paul Gauguin, the post-Impressionist artist.

"You know … the kind you'd see in a Gauguin painting. There's a wee bit of culture," he added, overlooking the fact that Gauguin was known for painting Tahitian women rather than Filipinos. His opponents were less forgiving than the Filipinos. Sandra White, the SNP MSP, branded him "sexist and sleazy".