State Minister in the Ministry of Health and Wellness Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn has triggered a fierce backlash on Twitter as Jamaicans islandwide continue to react to today’s (March 26) news of the tragic death of Khanice Jackson.

Twitter users, particularly women on the timeline, were anguished by the discovery of the accounting clerk’s body after her disappearance earlier this week —questioning the effectiveness of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in investigating missing persons reports as well as instances of violence against women and children.

Cuthbert-Flynn, who initially appeared gutted by Jackson’s passing, defended the JCF, adding that it was not the police but the “monsters” that took her life and should be subject to the Jamaican Twitterati’s rage.

“Let’s not stray here… your anger need to be in the right place now! At the monsters who killed that young lady not at JCF,” she argued.

Several users took issue with the statement and challenged the junior health minister that her thought process was flawed as the JCF has been consistently inept at tackling social issues, especially when it involved those Jamaicans who were poor or less connected.

“Uptown people do not belong in Parliament. I swear. They are so out of touch. Juliet, if you call the police they’re guaranteed to help. It is not the same for the average citizen,” Twitter user @LoxanneM replied.

The minister, in response, went to lengths to prove her ‘humility’ and proceeded to explain where she was coming from.

“Let me tell you something about me. I am from Port Morant, St Thomas and I live in Portmore. My mother is a housekeeper. I am a businesswoman and worked hard to be where I am,” argued Cuthbert-Flynn, who came to national prominence as an Olympic Games sprinter in the 1990s.

“Great to hear, and yet, you are still out of touch on this issue. JCF has repeatedly proven themselves incompetent,” @LoxanneM replied, adding “The monsters are to blame, absolutely, but it is no secret that Jamaica does not have an effective law enforcement system. Both concepts can be simultaneously true.”

The Olympian-turned-parliamentarian had seemingly had enough of the exchange, having been told twice of her shortcomings in understanding the average Jamaican’s plight, and argued, “When you begin to judge me as to who I am, is when I stop the conversation.”

The interaction would have been over, had another Twitter user not quoted Cuthbert-Flynn and called her ‘eediat’.

No longer ‘stopping the conversation’, the West Rural St Andrew MP flared: “Eediat ok social media is something else. Well, young lady, this is how [it] start with women like you disrespecting me and then teaching your children to do same to others = our sick society.”

The verbal clash did not end there as Cuthbert-Flynn went further to accost the Twitter user in her direct messages (DMs).

“Are you speaking about your mother because I didn’t see what she wrote,” Cuthbert-Flynn said to @izziebadsuh, who shared the alarming DM, simply commenting “LMAAOOOO YALL LOOK!!!”.

Emotions had been high on Twitter all day after Jamaicans learned the fate of Jackson, 20, but the timeline has spiralled down the rabbit hole of disbelief.

Many Twitter users found the comments from Cuthbert-Flynn indicative of a blasé attitude from persons in power who repeatedly dismiss accusations of inequality and injustice—even as Jamaicans highlight the many ways criminals continue to evade capture.

“People attain certain positions in life & then judge everyone based on their experiences in that elevated status. That’s why nothing changes in this country. A lot of our elected officials are insulated & as such, are no longer motivated to fix what is broken. As you were,” @ambrosia_omG tweeted.

“When I say they should be required to live in the constituencies over which they are given stewardship, y’all call it unreasonable. They should take public transportation. They should experience what the majority of Jamaicans do on a daily basis until they fix everything,” she continued.

Others were more critical of the seasoned politician, who is pushing for changes on Jamaica’s abortion law, and her perceived handling of a sensitive situation.

“As Minister and MP you are held to a much higher standard than a random on the internet…is that hard to understand?” @kingofkgn asked.

Others still opined that Cuthbert-Flynn was within her right to return the verbal jabs as hard as she got them.

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