Editorial

Dr. Dayton Campbell Is Not On Trial For Sexual Misconduct

May 31, 2021 |  Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie |

It should be made abundantly clear that Dr. Dayton Campbell has not been charged for any offence and is therefore not on trial for any wrong doing.  The media and certain individuals for their own reasons and possibly in pursuit of questionable agendas like to get top ratings … have chosen to sully Dr. Dayton Campbell’s name.

Let it be made abundantly clear and be understood that we are not endorsing unlawful conduct.

Cross

This is one of the crosses you bear when you offer yourself up for public service.  In Jamaica there is a popular saying which goes like this:

“The higher a monkey climbs the more they expose themselves.”

Dr. Dayton Campbell is no monkey by no stretch of the imagination. In fact he is a most handsome and intelligent young man. From humble beginnings he has risen to the pinnacle of academic achievement and politically has done very well as a former MP and now General Secretary of Her Majesty’s Loyal Opposition. No low level position by any stretch of the imagination.

Incidentally, the person accused of defaming Dr. Dayton Campbell is one Karen Cross. How ironic you may say. Another amazing fact is that she is a well known PNP activist and blogger. It seems to take those close to you to always want to hurt you. Whom can you trust?

Disciplinary Committee

Ms. Karen Cross either has or should have an early date with the disciplinary Committee of the PNP. She is being accused of allegedly bringing the party and it’s officers into disrepute.  The Dayton Campbell debacle appears to be the subject matter. We may have to sit at the edge of our seats and await what unfolds with this ongoing drama.

Salacious

As the salacious allegations yet to be proven that Dr. Dayton Campbell, General Secretary of the PNP has had sexual relations with underage girls makes it’s round,  we must not lose sight of the fact that he has not been criminally charged for that or any other offence.

Deformation Lawsuit

His lawyers have filed a deformation lawsuit against Ms Karen Cross et al. In her defence she has filed a counter suit accompanied by affidavits purporting to be allegedly signed by victims who claimed they had sexual relations with Dr. Campbell when they were below the age of consent. They did not say the alleged sex was not consensual.

These allegations have long been made. Law Enforcement did a probe and found no evidence to substantiate these allegations. They have since closed their files.

Dr. Dayton is not charged

Dr. Dayton Campbell has not been accused of forcible sex or even rape.  We should not confuse what may be illegal elsewhere and what is legal in this jurisdiction of Jamaica, W. I. with a population of about 3 million people. Consensual sex is different from rape and should not be confused with rape. Both are illegal but different sections of the criminal code.

Rape

In Jamaica rape is defined differently than in say USA and Canada. Sex with an under aged female in some jurisdictions is automatically classified as rape.

Carnal Abuse

In Jamaica sex with an underage female is referred to as carnal abuse.  This is the language under Jamaica’s laws which were derived from Britain, our former colonial masters, up to 1962. We became an independent nation in that said year.

Consensual

To get a legal perspective or legal definition on rape based on Jamaica’s criminal code one needs to be conversant with the lingual. This should not be confused with that which exist elsewhere. That is in North America or in other regions.

Dr. Dayton Campbell has long professed his innocence and continues to do so.

Media

The role played by the media in giving extensive exposure to the Dayton Campbell debacle is not here under attack. Despite previous comments in this article.

Hopeton O’Connor-Dennie is a veteran journalist who has a keen interest in decency and probity in public life. He monitors the international media.

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