At the Chamber of Commerce’s annual post-budget forum, Finance Minister Larry Howai thanked God that his gut instinct on oil and gas prices over the last two budgets turned out to be correct.
He then went on to say, “What is working for us is, Russia has invaded Ukraine and that is a good thing for us.”
Now, we all understand what the minister is getting at here but can you imagine how his comments would be received by mothers of Ukraine soldiers who have lost their lives in the conflict with Russia. Did he consider the families of those passengers who perished in the Malaysian airlines plane shot down by Russian separatists?
I am absolutely aghast that he could make such a callous, uncaring and insensitive reference to the great suffering of the citizens of eastern Ukraine and to the bereaving families of the Malaysian air disaster.
If this is how a man of God thinks, heaven help us all.
Gregory Wight
Maraval