Jamaican Twitter users are today (July 14) criticising attorney Isat Buchanan for controversial comments where he called concerns over the monkeypox virus overblown.

Buchanan, as co-host of the popular morning programme CVM at Sunrise yesterday, alongside Raymond Pryce, joked ahead of a segment break that monkeypox was a ‘pretty people issue’.

The rhetoric came just as the controversial barrister was to open a discussion with Opposition Spokesman on Health Dr Morais Guy, where they explored the disease, areas of risk for spread, and other matters.

The 40-second clip, with a 6:01 am timestamp, was first shared on CVM’s Twitter page but was later deleted. 

“Listen! I have to say this,” he began in an exchange with Pryce. 

“…You made sure that a doctor was in the house this morning, ’cause I want to know, why are some Jamaicans so worried about monkeypox when they already look a certain way? That’s all I wanna know,” Buchanan continued as his co-host fell silent. 

According to him, the furore “always” stemmed from “ugly people worried about pretty things”.

“Now here comes monkeypox… You want to respond or should we move on?” he asked Pryce to which his co-host chuckled and agreed to move on. 

Buchanan, however, was not finished, adding, “And I’m saying some of the spots look like acne and people walking around and dem face bumpy bumpy like that so, fix it, Jesus.”

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Buchanan has since this morning been silent on the matter and, when Our Today contacted him, the attorney said he was unable to speak at the time as he was in court. 

Several Jamaicans, who either screen-recorded or downloaded the clip before its removal, returned to Twitter to slam Buchanan as they refused to go along with the joke. 

Initially expressing shock, the Jamaican Twitterati collectively rebuked the TV host for ‘disrespecting’ persons afflicted with acne, who they argued are often troubled with self-esteem issues. 

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