Manners maketh man and woman

Usually, the guests are polite, well mannered and disciplined, do not keep interrupting each other in the middle of a statement and merely state their personal opinions and views without attempting to forcibly inflict them on the other guests and listening public.

On Friday June 10 however, neither the host Mr William Lucie-Smith, Miss Johanna Koorn nor Mr Israel Khan who was on the phone had an opportunity to get in a word sideways, because the other guest Miss Leela Ramdeen took it upon herself in very poor taste, to dominate the proceedings and forcefully impose her views on the matter being discussed without allowing anyone else to state their own personal views and opinions.

Having been born and bought up in the Catholic faith myself, I am well aware that one of Our Lord’s commandments clearly states that "Thou shall not kill" and that civilised persons do not go around hacking others to death as if they were swines, but the Lord also said "Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s" and all civil societies are expected to abide by the laws of the state in which they live.

Ramdeen although very vociferous about the evil of capital punishment, had very little or nothing to say about the evil murderers who go about hacking their victims to death for no reason and even on contract sometimes for large sums of money, not even knowing the victim that he is contracted to kill. But then, I presume that Ramdeen considers the unlawful killing of an innocent person for no good reason whatever, just one of those unfortunate things in life.

Well Miss Ramdeen, I have no problem with your holding your own firm personal beliefs and opinions on any matter whatever it may be, but I certainly take great objection to you trying to forcefully impose them on other members of the population who also have the undisputed right to form their own personal opinions on any matter affecting them.

Perhaps you would be well advised to consult with your religious superiors before you succeed in alienating some of the faithful from the flock.

MARTIN KAVANAGH
La Romaine