Orville, Taylor As a child, I envied those children who were born on Christmas, Labour Day, Independence or any other red letter day. Then, being the 'infomaniac' that I am, (it's not what it sounds like), my reading led me to discover that today, November 5, my birthday, is Guy Fawkes Day.
For general information, Guy Fawkes was a Catholic Englishman, who conspired with four others to blow up the British Parliament in 1605.
It was a year after the Protestant King James, the reigning monarch, had ordered his own version of the Bible to be translated and compiled. In misguided nationalist and religious zeal, Fawkes hid several barrels of gunpowder in the cellar under the building. According to contemporary historian, David Herber, if it were not for one of the collaborators getting cold feet and turning into an informer, the plot would have succeeded. He had neatly concealed the explosive behind a "large pile of billets and faggots," (metal bars and sticks) and in the process, hoped to assassinate the king, who was in the building.
Exposed, Fawkes and crew were caught, tortured and hanged. In commemoration of the occasion, effigies of Fawkes are burnt each year on November 5, and large bonfires and fireworks are lit.
Although, there is no official Guy Fawkes Day, but rather a Guy Fawkes Night, some Jamaicans would perhaps welcome the 'bonfire' as it is not unusual for well-thinking and sometimes radical religious zealots, including Capleton, The Prophet, to "bun a fire" on the Babylonians in Parlimen'.
much to 'bun fire' on
In recent weeks, there has been much to 'bun fire' on Parliament for and I am not necessarily referring to Trafigura. After all, if the Prime Minister can't say if the money that she ordered returned was dispatched to its 'donors', I will follow her and make no further comment.
Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman, Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament, Audley Shaw, temporarily lost his mind on the platform during a recent JLP rally and pre-empted what was going to occur in the next meeting of the committee. In an expression not expected from a man of his orientation, he remarked with great anticipation at the appearance of beleaguered former People's National Party (PNP) "omnipotate," Dr. Vin Lawrence, "We a go pepper fi him backside too."
Clearly, such a comment was inappropriate and prejudicial. Thank God he has stepped down as chairman, as I cannot imagine him using pepper or any other condiment on "The Lord's," posterior.
In his place is Mike Henry, who, whatever one might think, will be a 'sobering' presence on the PAC.
Still in Parliament, one is trying to get a balanced view of the proceedings. However, an overreacting Speaker, Michael Peart, ordered a door to be erected, to bar the press (but not Mr. Henry). By the way, I can't fathom why he is called the speaker and O.T. Williams was selected Deputy Speaker? Then again, if Danny Buck can be Communication Minister, then whatever!
Nonetheless, I am quite befuddled by the decision of the President of the Senate to follow the Speaker as if he has cut off her tail with a carving knife and refused to open the door.
War Brewing
Still, what disturbs me is a notion that there is some sort of a war brewing between the press and the Government. My highly-respected trade unionist, friend, Lambert Brown, who has grown in stature and girth, has apparently lost his judgement and shares this opinion.
Doubtless, some journalists (and I am not a journalist), have an either overt or hidden anti-PNP stance. However, there are many PNP apologists as well. To the casual observer, there is a newspaper that appears to be very unflattering to the Prime Minister and others. I don't know if 'Lammy' is being honest to himself or it is just a 'gut reaction', but I recall P.J. and 'Eddie Blinds' being depicted in the most comical fashion for most of their lives in cartoons.
Mr. Seaga, in particular, was cartooned so often looking like the count from Sesame Street, with a 'cargo chain' and bell pendant, that the last time I saw him I was not sure it was him. For the Prime Minister to expect special treatment because she is a woman or for any other reason, is an insult to her because her appointment was about female equality not female privileging. In fact, there is only one politician who deserves 'pampering' and his exuberance has earned him this right.
While I agree that the photographer ought not to have intruded on the Prime Minister's pulpit as she preached her sermon in Parliament, a stern warning would have sufficed. If memory serves me correctly, former Prime Minister, Edward Seaga, was very firm that his privacy should not be invaded as was done with Sista P. It being so long since the JLP has been in power, one might have forgotten. Nevertheless, blocking out the press is a retrograde move.
On this subject, I totally reject Brown's argument that the press needs no special seating arrangement in Parliament. His point is that they should be given no concession above the average man in the street who wants to walk in and see for himself what is going on in the house. Nonsense Lammy! The man in the street does not have the responsibility to disseminate information (even if some do it improperly). Of whom much is expected, much should be given.
Anyway, I am enjoying the cricket as my birthday present. After all, today I am not a small 22 or even a 38. I am a bigger gun than that.
Dr. Orville Taylor is senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at the University of the West Indies, Mona.
