EDITORIAL - A very sorry episode

This newspaper tends not to be squeamish over the periodic display of raucousness in the Jamaican legislature.

For while we generally expect decency and decorum in the House, we do not assume Parliaments to be prissy, sanitised environments, or old ladies' crochet clubs. Very few, too - we can think of no one in the Jamaican legislature - are gifted with the Churchillian art of insult and, therefore, the capacity to cut opponents down with apparently mild, but really rapier tongues.

Furthermore, we appreciate the cultural context of Jamaican debates, including in social settings, and the animation and the decibels at which they tend to be conducted. Don't expect the gurgling "hoo, hoo" that passes for derision in the British Commons.

The foregoing notwithstanding, even this newspaper was scandalised by what took place in Gordon House on Tuesday. The behaviour of legislators descended to a level to which they should be ashamed.

Additionally, the fracas exposed the inexperience of Deputy Speaker Lloyd B. Smith - who was in the chair at the time - whose ignorance of the Standing Orders served to worsen an already bad situation, which suggests a failure to adequately prepare himself for the job and, perhaps, intellectual laziness on his part.

No need for resignation, but ...

Indeed, the cynics might even claim that Mr Smith's trousers-falling fiasco at his parliamentary oath-taking may have foreshadowed Tuesday's inept performance. We, however, do not support the view that he has been mortally wounded and, therefore, do not support the Opposition's call for Mr Smith's resignation.

However, Mr Smith, at the next sitting of the House, should be allowed to take the chair and apologise to the Parliament for the ignorance of the rules that caused him to attempt to use wrong procedure - including calling on the marshal to eject the member - to 'name' and thereby suspend the opposition member, J.C. Hutchinson.

Mr Smith should also pledge to the House to undertake a comprehensive study of the Standing Orders and, within a fortnight, subject himself to a written and oral examination by experienced and respected former parliamentarians appropriately versed in the rules.

Offensive name-calling

Mr Smith was not the primary culprit on Tuesday, though. Far more egregious than the acting speaker's ignorant invoking of the rules and Mr Hutchinson's disregard was the latter's offensive name-calling of Raymond Pryce.

Mr Pryce, a new member of the House, was rude to shout at Mr Hutchinson to shut up and sit down, because of the latter's off-tangent comments at Question Time. Mr Hutchinson sought to hit back by referring to Mr Pryce as a "fish", a Jamaican pejorative for homosexuals.

We do not accept Mr Hutchinson's waffling explanation that his intent was not to impute sexual preference in an insulting manner, but that the term implied the relative difference in the time both members have served in the House. Mr Hutchinson must apologise.

But even more offensive was the behaviour of those opposition members who angrily pointed in the face of a sitting, silent marshal of the House as they walked out of the legislature. They should apologise.

There should never be a repeat of the whole sorry episode. Individual apologies aside, the party leaders should tell the country sorry and promise it won't happen again.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.