Dear Editor,
Sometime ago, Lady Allen, the wife of Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, made utterances to the effect that her belief in Jamaica was severely shaken by the brutal murder of a one-time member of their security detail.
The good lady simply felt like "not wanting to be Jamaican anymore". She felt like migrating. Her comments came in for considerable condemnation from numerous quarters.
Today, news that the president of the Senate, Rev Stanley Redwood, is migrating dominates the media, and for quite understandable reasons, after all, he has gone one step further on Lady Allen's sentiments.
However, what should be discussed is not the possible or actual migration of public officials, but rather the migration of the remnants of dignity which remained in the Lower House since the revelation about the mandatory retirement of teachers past a ripe old age.
The scent of hypocrisy has once more emanated from that once honourable chamber. How can a government prescribe forced retirement for all public officials except themselves?
In an age where the development of countries depends on robust policies formulated, debated and enacted by their parliaments, Jamaica's fortunes remain encumbered by the unwillingness of parliamentarians to do unto themselves as they would do to others.
It's time that many of our 'leaders' actually lead from the front. One way to start is for MPs who are 65 years and older to retire, as they would have the rest of us to do.
Noel Matherson
noelmatherson@gmail.com
Scent of hypocrisy from Gordon house
-->
Sometime ago, Lady Allen, the wife of Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, made utterances to the effect that her belief in Jamaica was severely shaken by the brutal murder of a one-time member of their security detail.
The good lady simply felt like "not wanting to be Jamaican anymore". She felt like migrating. Her comments came in for considerable condemnation from numerous quarters.
Today, news that the president of the Senate, Rev Stanley Redwood, is migrating dominates the media, and for quite understandable reasons, after all, he has gone one step further on Lady Allen's sentiments.
However, what should be discussed is not the possible or actual migration of public officials, but rather the migration of the remnants of dignity which remained in the Lower House since the revelation about the mandatory retirement of teachers past a ripe old age.
The scent of hypocrisy has once more emanated from that once honourable chamber. How can a government prescribe forced retirement for all public officials except themselves?
In an age where the development of countries depends on robust policies formulated, debated and enacted by their parliaments, Jamaica's fortunes remain encumbered by the unwillingness of parliamentarians to do unto themselves as they would do to others.
It's time that many of our 'leaders' actually lead from the front. One way to start is for MPs who are 65 years and older to retire, as they would have the rest of us to do.
Noel Matherson
noelmatherson@gmail.com
Scent of hypocrisy from Gordon house
-->