THE EDITOR: It was the Mighty Sparrow who, in his 2001 hit song Steel Beam, first popularised the expression 'we like it so,' a phrase which undeniably remains extremely relevant in today's society.

Of course some may semantically prefer the more literal and less rhythmic variation of 'we accept it so' to highlight their loathing acceptance or apathetic concurrence with the system, but whatever the case the results remain the same - acceptance.

This can be observed in the recent public debate which surrounded the historic section 35 constitutional motion and subsequent Electoral College vote, whereby commentators primarily trained their guns on the Opposition's behaviour during those sessions.

Don't get me wrong, I totally agree that such childish and puerile behaviour ought to have been roundly condemned, but the question also arises as to whether it is not equally disturbing that both the Government and Independent members voted against the setting up of a tribunal to independently investigate the reason/s behind the catastrophic collapse of the Police Service Commission and the President's role in such, if any.

Surely, given the President's statements that despite public demand it is not the practice of her office to publicly divulge information regarding visits to her office, one would think that such a tribunal would be the ideal place to have those matters appropriately and confidentially addressed.

Why therefore was this mechanism not utilised as a means of removing the heavy cloud which now hangs over the President's head? Is it that these members were simply not interested in whether the President, or any other citizen for that matter, may have violated the Constitution? Or is it that they merely view the President's Office to be above reproach, a proverbial sacred cow?

I mean, aren't they supposed to be the defenders/upholders of our democracy? So where do sacred traditions and conventions end and integrity, transparency and good governance begin?

Are we bound to simply accept it?

A PHILLIP

via e-mail

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