Political pappy-show

And just as our country’s head of state ironically coined the phrase on the back of his own rum-shop logic, so too did the head of the government as he attempted to justify his decision to return Marlene McDonald to our parliament.

According to PM Dr Keith Rowley, his decision was based on his assumption that the Integrity Commission — a body in which he has openly declared his vote of no confidence — is playing politics with an ongoing investigation into the dealings of Marlene McDonald.

Dr Rowley “came to a conclusion” because McDonald had already been “exonerated” for her alleged roles in facilitating some alleged wrongdoing regarding the Calabar Foundation, approving an unusually high salary payment to a worker at her constituency office, whom we also discovered received a house from the Housing Development Corporation under curious circumstances.

In a nutshell, Dr Rowley’s logic is that if the Integrity Commission agrees that McDonald is not guilty of any of the charges, she deserves to be reinstated, but it is not that simple for someone in public life.

The fact is that whether or not McDonald is deemed to be innocent at the Integrity Commission, the outcome is probably very different in the court of public opinion, which does not operate on the same high standard of proof.

The analogy of the OJ Simpson trial is quite apt: anyone who watches the OJ Simpson documentary would know that the innocent verdict was questionable, but the glove didn’t fit, right? Evidence or not, in the eyes of the public, when something walks like a duck, talks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is most likely not a chicken.

Even if McDonald is innocent of all allegations, it is all about the perception of corruption and anyone who is accused of not one, but three commingling allegations of corruption should not be in the public sphere.

Clearly, Dr Rowley was more concerned with personal loyalty (McDonald was one of his fiercest defenders when Pennelope Beckles- Robinson challenged him for the leadership of the PNM ) than the public’s perception of a tainted minister.

By accepting the return of Mc- Donald, no supporter of the People’s National Movement could dare open their mouths to complain about the impending return of Anil Roberts to our Parliament.

I dread the day that Roberts is unleashed by the United National Congress because whilst both reinstatements are an insult to the public, his is even more of a disgrace because of the allegations that he was the male figure in the debauchery of the ‘Room 201 video,’ in addition to the fact that he was at the helm of the Ministry of Sport when LifeSporTT corruption was in full swing, even if he was not complicit. The PM chose loyalty over country and he ended up with egg on his face, but of course his hasty decision was the Integrity Commission’s fault; did anyone expect him to accept blame or take responsibility? My views on the integrity of the Integrity Commission have already been explicitly stated (see my column: “Culture of compromised integrity” June 21, 2015), but for the prime minister to publicly launch into a tirade on the integrity, and by extension, the legitimacy of such an important statutory body based on nothing but his personal experience, speaks volumes of his temperament.

With behaviour like this, it is difficult to believe that Dr Rowley and American president, Donald Trump aren’t kindred souls, the way they both fly off the handle with wanton ease.

Despite all the antics of these politicians taking the public for idiots, the most hilarious part of this political pappy-show came when former PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar highlighted what she believes to be Dr Rowley’s “incompetence,” “questionable judgement,” “unfitness,” and “poor leadership.” And whilst I agree with these adjectives being used to describe Dr Rowley, the irony of this accusation coming from Persad-Bissessar who could just as easily be referring to herself, is comedy gold.

We couldn’t make this up even if we tried. Sometimes I feel like this this cannot be real life... it really is a comical pappy-show with some of the world’s best actors and the public as an unwilling audience. I love being entertained, especi a l ly when it’s free, but this is one show that needs to come to an abrupt end.