Tweet
EDITORIAL - Let the chips fall where they may
published: Wednesday | February 6, 2008
We believe solemnly in the principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, having been afforded a fair opportunity to confront his accusers.
So, notwithstanding the seeming prima facie case of corruption against Parliamentarian Kern Spencer by Contractor General Greg Christie, we reserve our judgement on the matter.
For, as Mr Christie suggested, there now has to be a criminal investigation by the police, after which it will be up to the director of public prosecutions whether charges are brought against Mr Spencer or not.
Either way, Mr Spencer, figuratively or otherwise, should be allowed his day in court. The matter should be followed to its logical end and the chips, as they say, allowed to fall where they may.
Indeed, this would not be unique to Mr Spencer. One recalls that in the early 1990s, J.A.G. Smith, the minister of labour in the Seaga government of the 1980s, and Probyn Aitken, his permanent secretary, were jailed after being convicted for stealing money from the farm workers' fund.
This, though, is more than a legal/judicial matter. It also has political implications and speaks to governance and morality in public life.
In that regard, we expect more than a legalistic response from Mr Spencer or the party of which he is a member and on whose ticket he was elected to Parliament for the constituency of North East St Elizabeth.
It is, indeed, a matter on which Portia Simpson Miller, the president of the People's National Party (PNP), has to be seen to act firmly if the PNP, lumbered with the perception of corruption during its tenure, is to rebuild public trust.
First, Mrs Simpson Miller needs - both publicly and privately - to apologise to the Cuban government for the scandalous fiasco that the light-bulb project became during her tenure as prime minister.
Given Cuba's economic situation, it would have been a sacrifice for Havana to donate several million energy-saving bulbs for free distribution to the Jamaican people. It is a great embarrassment to Jamaica that this project was so poorly executed, and worse, may have been the subject of illegal actions.
It is interesting to contemplate what might have happened in Cuba if the reverse were the case and the inference drawn by a state overseer in his report on his investigations was that the minister charged with managing the project was possibly involved in corruption, criminal conspiracy and conflict of interest.
Mrs Simpson Miller acted correctly when she leaned on Mr Spencer and his former boss at the energy ministry, Phillip Paulwell, to step down from their posts in the shadow cabinet.
It would make sense, in our view, if she advised Mr Spencer to resign as constituency repre-sentative, or at least, seek leave of absence from the House. This would accomplish two things, the first of which would be of a greater value to Mr Spencer. He would have the time and freedom to attempt to clear his name without the encum-brance of parliamentary representation.
But more important, it would send a signal that politicians in general, and the PNP in particular, intend to foster a culture of accountable governance.
Criminal conduct is not only behaviour for which there ought to be consequences. Poor judgement, too, should have a price - and of this Mr Spencer is surely guilty. The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.
published: Wednesday | February 6, 2008
We believe solemnly in the principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, having been afforded a fair opportunity to confront his accusers.
So, notwithstanding the seeming prima facie case of corruption against Parliamentarian Kern Spencer by Contractor General Greg Christie, we reserve our judgement on the matter.
For, as Mr Christie suggested, there now has to be a criminal investigation by the police, after which it will be up to the director of public prosecutions whether charges are brought against Mr Spencer or not.
Either way, Mr Spencer, figuratively or otherwise, should be allowed his day in court. The matter should be followed to its logical end and the chips, as they say, allowed to fall where they may.
Indeed, this would not be unique to Mr Spencer. One recalls that in the early 1990s, J.A.G. Smith, the minister of labour in the Seaga government of the 1980s, and Probyn Aitken, his permanent secretary, were jailed after being convicted for stealing money from the farm workers' fund.
This, though, is more than a legal/judicial matter. It also has political implications and speaks to governance and morality in public life.
In that regard, we expect more than a legalistic response from Mr Spencer or the party of which he is a member and on whose ticket he was elected to Parliament for the constituency of North East St Elizabeth.
It is, indeed, a matter on which Portia Simpson Miller, the president of the People's National Party (PNP), has to be seen to act firmly if the PNP, lumbered with the perception of corruption during its tenure, is to rebuild public trust.
First, Mrs Simpson Miller needs - both publicly and privately - to apologise to the Cuban government for the scandalous fiasco that the light-bulb project became during her tenure as prime minister.
Given Cuba's economic situation, it would have been a sacrifice for Havana to donate several million energy-saving bulbs for free distribution to the Jamaican people. It is a great embarrassment to Jamaica that this project was so poorly executed, and worse, may have been the subject of illegal actions.
It is interesting to contemplate what might have happened in Cuba if the reverse were the case and the inference drawn by a state overseer in his report on his investigations was that the minister charged with managing the project was possibly involved in corruption, criminal conspiracy and conflict of interest.
Mrs Simpson Miller acted correctly when she leaned on Mr Spencer and his former boss at the energy ministry, Phillip Paulwell, to step down from their posts in the shadow cabinet.
It would make sense, in our view, if she advised Mr Spencer to resign as constituency repre-sentative, or at least, seek leave of absence from the House. This would accomplish two things, the first of which would be of a greater value to Mr Spencer. He would have the time and freedom to attempt to clear his name without the encum-brance of parliamentary representation.
But more important, it would send a signal that politicians in general, and the PNP in particular, intend to foster a culture of accountable governance.
Criminal conduct is not only behaviour for which there ought to be consequences. Poor judgement, too, should have a price - and of this Mr Spencer is surely guilty. The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.