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The Manatt/Dudus daytime show
Betty Ann Blaine
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Dear Reader,
The Commission of Enquiry playbook reads exactly how I predicted it would. I anticipated that it would be a display of "theatre and "theatrics" and my instincts were right. The characters, roles, accents and idiosyncrasies resemble the type of thing you see on daytime television soap operas.
In fact, after watching the show much of last week, it is easy for a person to forget that the Commission of Enquiry was convened to deal with the very serious matter of the potential breach of public trust by the prime minister and other key officials sitting high up in the seat of government.
It is difficult to tell from the display of words, wit and wizardry that the substance of the enquiry would most likely have toppled the government in any other properly functioning democracy. In other jurisdictions, what would be taking place is an impeachment trial and not a display of legal luminosity that the country has been watching over the past two weeks.
Commissioner Emil George might as well tell the public that the enquiry is best suited for viewers studying law, those aspiring to be lawyers, or those who are fans of the famous lawyer/novelist, John Grisham. He should add that for all the other viewers, the proceedings should be treated as pure rhetorical entertainment.
And there is no doubt that the legal luminaries of Jamaica are shining brilliantly. In fact, the British House of Lords is no match to what we have been seeing. Lest any of us forget, the proceedings have been a clear reminder that there are those among us who remain "heirs" of the British colonial legacy, and are perfectly conditioned subjects of their education and culture. The phrase, being "more British than the British" is definitely apropos.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...#ixzz1DSNos1SJ
Betty Ann Blaine
Tuesday, February 08, 2011
Dear Reader,
The Commission of Enquiry playbook reads exactly how I predicted it would. I anticipated that it would be a display of "theatre and "theatrics" and my instincts were right. The characters, roles, accents and idiosyncrasies resemble the type of thing you see on daytime television soap operas.
In fact, after watching the show much of last week, it is easy for a person to forget that the Commission of Enquiry was convened to deal with the very serious matter of the potential breach of public trust by the prime minister and other key officials sitting high up in the seat of government.
It is difficult to tell from the display of words, wit and wizardry that the substance of the enquiry would most likely have toppled the government in any other properly functioning democracy. In other jurisdictions, what would be taking place is an impeachment trial and not a display of legal luminosity that the country has been watching over the past two weeks.
Commissioner Emil George might as well tell the public that the enquiry is best suited for viewers studying law, those aspiring to be lawyers, or those who are fans of the famous lawyer/novelist, John Grisham. He should add that for all the other viewers, the proceedings should be treated as pure rhetorical entertainment.
And there is no doubt that the legal luminaries of Jamaica are shining brilliantly. In fact, the British House of Lords is no match to what we have been seeing. Lest any of us forget, the proceedings have been a clear reminder that there are those among us who remain "heirs" of the British colonial legacy, and are perfectly conditioned subjects of their education and culture. The phrase, being "more British than the British" is definitely apropos.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/colum...#ixzz1DSNos1SJ
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