KINGSTON MAYOR MARK GERRETSEN WAS CAUGHT MAKING WHAT SOME ARE CALLING  AN INSENSITIVE COMMENT ABOUT WIND TURBINES ON WOLFE ISLAND. IN A RECENT TELEVISED INTERVIEW, GERRETSEN SAID THE ONLY PEOPLE OPPOSED TO THE GIANT WIND MILLS ARE THOSE WHO AREN'T PROFITING BY HAVING THEM ON THEIR PROPERTY. NEWSWATCH`S MELISSA NAKHAVOLY SPOKE WITH GERRETSEN TODAY.

"THE MAIN OPPOSITION SEEM TO COME FROM THOSE THAT WERE NOT GETTING THE PROJECTS ON THEIR PROPERTIES IN OTHER WORDS NOT PROFITING OFF OF THEM ONE WAY OR THE OTHER."

JUST SOME OF THE COMMENTS MADE EARLIER THIS MONTH BY KINGSTON MAYOR MARK GERRETSEN ON THE ONGOING DEBATE CONCERNING WIND TURBINES ON WOLFE ISLAND.  HE NOW SAYS THAT COMMENT DID NOT COME OUT THE RIGHT WAY.

"WHAT I SAID IS THAT THE OPPOSITION...AT LEAST AS AN OUTSIDER SEEM TO BE... OBSERVING AT THE TIME BACK IN 2006... THE MAJORITY OF THE OPPOSITION SEEM TO BE FROM PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T GET TURBINES ON THEIR PROPERTY"

"THOSE RESIDENTS THAT DO RECEIVE TURBINES ON THEIR PROPERTY HAVE ONE OF TWO PAYMENT OPTIONS ONE OF WHICH IS A FLAT RATE OR A VARIABLE OPTION... SOME RESIDENTS RECEIVING AROUND 33-THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR".

DIRECTOR OF ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AT QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY SAYS STUDIES FIND SOMETIMES RESIDENTS WITH THESE RENEWABLE ENERGY INSTALLMENTS ARE SILENCED.

``OFTEN WHEN YOU SIGN A CONTRACT TO DO WORK WITH AN ALTERNATIVE ENERGY COMPANY TO HAVE A TURBINE BUILT ON YOUR PROPERTY YOU WAVE SOME RIGHTS TO BE ABLE TO GO PUBLIC WITH ANY ISSUES OR PUBLIC WITH COMPLAINTS`.

BUT FOR SOME ACTIVISTS GERETTSEN`S COMMENTS WERE INSENSITIVE .

``I THINK THAT WAS PROBABLY THE MOST INSULTING ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE ON WOLFE ISLAND WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH A GREAT DEAL WITH THAT POWER PROJECT TO SAY THAT IT`S JUST DEMEANING AND INSULTING. IF IT LOOKS LIKE THE OPTION TO THE WIND TURBINES THERE HAS GONE AWAY IT`S ONLY BECAUSE THESE PEOPLE DON`T WISH TO BE VICTIMIZED AGAIN.'

ADMITS HE CAN`T TAKE BACK WHAT WAS SAID... ALL HE CAN DO IS APOLOGIZE.

``I COULD HAVE CHOOSE BETTER WORDS IN SAYING WHAT I WAS SAYING AND I APOLOGIZE IF I OFFENDED ANYBODY. THAT WASN`T MY INTENTION.

MELISSA NAKHAVOLY CKWS NEWWATCH KINGSTON.