Phl envoy squares off with ex-US mayor

WASHINGTON – Ambassador Jose Cuisia jumped into the fray and described as deplorable former Washington Mayor Marion Barry’s rant against local hospitals for hiring Filipino nurses and said Filipinos were owed an apology.

“This is not the first time such intolerant and narrow-minded comments came from him. Just three weeks ago, he made the prejudiced observation that Asian-owned businesses were dirty shops,” Cuisia said in a statement issued by the Philippine embassy here.

The latest controversy involving Barry, now a DC Council member, flared up after he noted there were a number of immigrant nurses particularly from the Philippines in DC hospitals.

“No offense, but let’s grow our own nurses and so that we don’t have to go scrounging in our community clinics and other kinds of places, having to hire people somewhere else,” he said.

No sooner did he say that when several of his council colleagues and lawmakers of Asian descent publicly criticized him.

“We reject this continued Asian bashing by elected officials like Mr. Barry and demand that he apologize for his insensitive and irresponsible remarks,” said Ed Navarra, chairman of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations.

Cuisia in his statement on Tuesday praised Filipino nurses as caring and hardworking professionals who pay their taxes and contribute to the American economy.

“Barry’s penchant for blaming Asians, who only want to work for their American dream, fuels racism, discrimination, and violence,” the envoy said.