By the time the propaganda machine was done with us, we were ready to accept as undisputed fact that the meeting between the chairman of the Integrity Commission and the Leader of the Opposition was “secret” with the imputation of improper motive and the deliberate attempt to hide and deceive. Further, we were certain that having met in the way they had, the chairman had to resign or be fired. The court of public opinion, chained up to the max, had delivered its verdict, effectively shutting down opinion to the contrary. On Thursday, confident of the tidal wave of opinion behind her, the Prime Minister opened the door to the President’s Office and let it all in. Anthony Carmona would have to be a brave man to swim against that tide. Standing in Eric St Cyr’s shoes, stunned and helpless against the cresting din of twisted logic, Ken Gordon would’ve been struck by the dangerous vulnerability of public opinion. In a country with free education all the way to tertiary level and a proud tradition of press freedom, it had proved remarkably easy for the Government to conjure up out of thin air an allegation rising to the level of possible treason. Perhaps he also noticed how independent, upstanding and respected persons, anxious to do right, serve well and protect their bona fides for fairness, could become unwitting accomplices in providing the tiny grain of specious truth that props up every big lie. Once again, the People’s Partnership Government stands accused of hounding a chairman of the Integrity Commission with reckless unconcern for individual reputation and national institution. An issue that should be handled with due process within the proceedings of an enquiry, if an offended party is so inclined, has been re-framed almost beyond recognition and dragged onto the political stage.There, on the battleground of politics, and by political sleight of hand, it is magically transformed into something called “public opinion” which then becomes the whip to keep everybody, from President down, in line. The chairman of the Integrity Commission is no ordinary public official. He is a presidential appointee, functioning beyond the reach of the Government. READ MORE: trinidadexpress/commentaries/The-great-con-212637721.html
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 01:55:42 +0000
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