And from that heated exchange, Sunup host Renata Samuels challenged the PM to raise the level of discourse in the House of Representatives and to watch his words where women and coarse language are concerned.
The PM took particular offence to that, as he challenged her to look back at the parliamentary lapses of the previous government:
Host:
"You and many people can comment on this is that I feel, and many people say, that when it's in the house that in general both sides, both UDP and PUP need to do a better job at how we address each other."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Have you seen the behaviour of the house now, compared to what it was before? Have you? Look at the right, no, no, no, no, no, hold on, hold on, hold on, Renata, Renata, Renata, let's be fair, let's be fair."
Renata:
"Things like acting like a lady, did you not say that too as well, Prime Minister? You told Hon Tracy Taegar Panton to act like a lady and then you would address her like one. And so I am just saying."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Again but you take things out of context but you, first of all, Renata and I really take offence to what you're saying. Why?"
"Have you seen how the then government behaved to how we behave in the house right now?"
"Look at the record make a comparison and see where we are today, we have elevated the behaviour in the house 100 fold, look at it, I challenge you."
Renata:
"Indistinguishable."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"No, I challenge you to look at it. No, I am challenging you, look at it, one. Second, from time to time we are going to slip up in the house that is a part of it."
Renata:
"You have used bad words in the house."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"And I apologized immediately because honestly, that was not in my mind I was thinking about the third phase where you can't say that, so you know you don't say I will find a cuss word right now and that really is not part of a cuss word anymore that is a part of our [gestures] it's not, don't get me wrong."
"It does not belong in the National Assembly."
Renata:
"I mean kids hearing their Prime Minister say that."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"Kids, please man let's not go down that road..."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"The point is that sometimes that's part of the rough and tumble of democracy."
