NOTE-WORTHY
Published:Tuesday | May 11, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Innocent until...
The modern judicial system allows an accused person to publicly declare his or her innocence in a court of law, as a means of protecting that individual's rights under the Constitution. In the Jamaican legal system, which we inherited from the United Kingdom, just as for the United States of America, such an accused is assumed innocent until proven guilty.
All this formality is necessary to maintain the civility of the state, and while the law is not infallible, and does wrongly imprison the innocent, on some occasions, it is still necessary to have respect for this system as a better alternative to more arbitrary methods.
One would expect the members of the lawmaking body of the Jamaican state, the parliamentarians, to uphold this due process of the law. Setting an example for those other members of the society so no one thinks himself/herself above the law, thus ensuring respect for the judicial system. This holds true whether dealing with constitutional authority, or external treaties entered into by mutual agreement between the Jamaican government and other governments.
It is not surprising to see that some Jamaicans seem to behave as if they can usurp the sovereign authority of the state, and restrict the rights of others, denying them the protection of the Jamaican constitution. Where are the rights of those whose daughters are required to offer sexual favours to community leaders, or those who cannot even choose who they would entertain in their own homes, or those who cannot exercise their civic duty to cooperate with the Jamaica Constabulary Force?
Patrick Brown
Florida
A malodorous affair
The Jamaican government's handling of this whole 'Dudus' matter stinks to high heaven, or more specifically, to overseas heaven. It is bad enough when there are unsupported accusations of ineptitude, and uncorroborated rumours of corruption in high places from varying individuals and groups here and there. But we are now at a place where our dirty laundry is visible to everybody, everywhere, and it seems to be no longer 'just talk' of this ineptitude and corruption, but real evidence.
So, in the name of all that is decent and good in this country, will the Government just admit its lies, beg the forgiveness of the Jamaican people, and do the right thing for the country instead of for itself and its cronies!
Coretta
Reading, St James