Banishing George Wright

February 11, 2022 | By Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie |

Parliamentary Side Show

Opposition Leader Hon Mark Golding disgraced himself publicly today and it was caught on camera as they marched to Parliament, a noted traditional walk of the Ceremonial Opening of Parliament.

There was a piece of side show that was captured on camera with audio that has been making the rounds on social media of what happened outside of Parliament.

The vulgar display of low class behaviour led by Opposition Leader Hon. Mark Golding is shameful, despicable, demeaning distasteful, demeaning, distressing and a national disgrace. The People’s National Party (PNP) has lost much public face at the Official Ceremonial Opening of Parliament. Their fibre has been exposed shamefully.

Disgraceful

The proceedings were married by a piece of distasteful political drama led by Her Majesty’s Official Opposition. It concerns publicly embarrassing MP George Wright, an Independent Member of Parliament. This public display has brought our democratic Institution to a low level if not into disrepute.

Who was damaged more George Wright or Mark Golding et al?

Hon Mark Golding was caught on tape and with audio urging his Parliamentary colleagues to reject Independent MP George Wright. Jamaica’s political system does not recognize political parties and sees all MPs as of equal status.

George Wright blasted the Opposition Leader.

He said inter alia:

“I would not have conceived to do wrong, Mark Golding should have given more thought to his actions”

This was an obviously embarrassed MP George Wright, who represents Central Westmoreland now as an Independent Member who has been duly elected and sits in Parliament as a member representing his constituency of as stated above Central Westmoreland. He was formerly a JLP MP.

The Stain Of A Mere Allegation

George Wright was accused of allegedly beating a woman on tape. He was not conclusively identified as the person, the police investigation cleared him. He also did not admit to this act. Legally Wright had no right nor obligation to do so or self incriminate himself. That is the law of the land.

Mark Golding

Hon. Mark Golding has succeeded in bringing the institutional of our Parliamentary system to a very low level by apparently making a mockery of decency. To have displayed such publicly is inexcusable, to say the least Whether or not Mark Golding cares about or does not speak to George Wright is immaterial. As leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition he is supposed to represent all Jamaicans in Parliament … so to have rejected publicly the presence of a parliamentary colleague at the Official Opening of Jamaica’s Parliament is most sleazy, shameful, scandalous, silly, and the heights of stupidity, if not downright disgraceful, and makes a mockery of our democratic institution and certainly dishonour, if not debase our sacred traditions of diplomacy and that of upholding our sacred democratic traditions.

For the PNP to have discriminated against MP George Wright led by Hon. Mark Golding, Opposition Leader, is not only just wrong, but very wrong, indeed!

Cliff Hughes

Mr. Cliff Hughes, a noted public commentator and Executive Director of a leading media entity in Jamaica saw this matter differently. He blamed George Wright for it all. Hughes even chuckled at this most unfortunate incident as it was something to joke about. Really now Mr. Cliff Hughes?

Commentary

Decency demands the highest level of decorum from our leaders. MP George Wright is being rejected due to the stain of a mere allegation. He was not convicted of any wrongdoing. Guilty without even being charged. You be the judge. Is that right?

There is a very popular saying:

“Not only Caesar, but Caesar’s wife must be above reproach.”

What happened to Independent MP Wright at the Official Opening of Parliament, is nothing for any of us to gloat about. In fact we have a lot to hang out heads in shame about. Hon. Mark Golding in my perspective, has a lot to reflect on. This is my perspective, what is yours?

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is a poet, elegist, author and senior international journalist who writes for Vision newspaper.