Gordon Robinson | Warmonger amongst us

Just when you thought Jamaican politics couldn’t get any lower, here comes Warmonger Warmington to prove degenerate behaviour has no limit.

Yes, I know. It’s Tuesday. I should be using a cute joke, arcane analogy or domino riddle to spoof reality and teach lessons about politics or life. Not today! I can’t dignify boorish, bombastic bluster with humour. I can’t…..

Today heralds another first because, usually, I’d quote extensively from my subject to establish my opinions as fact-based. Again, not today! I won’t promote vile, vicious, vitriolic vilification based on race or colour that drags Jamaica’s politics into the gutter by repeating it.

I. Cannot!

I. Will. Not!

And shame on JLP’s servile sycophants who immediately reverted to default mode, resurrecting Chatty Chatty Dayton Campbell’s political joke (told by one black man about another) that Bobby Montague was “leader of the JLP’s black section” (for which he apologised when brought to book by the Political Ombudsman) and to Neville ‘Struggle’ Martin’s My Leader Born Yah.

What the actual fartesque?

Just once, can we focus on the current problem and stop playing this counterfeit, childish ‘You-did-it-too’ game?

This is a problem of very different meaning, gravity and intensity than even Seaga using a black scandal bag to highlight PNP’s alleged involvement in corruption, or Chatty Chatty belatedly and clumsily trying to comment on JLP’s internal political issues apparent during Audley Shaw’s 2013 leadership challenge. Chatty Chatty’s comment was outdated, outrageous and outright improper. Chatty Chatty missed the boat and was sailing in the wrong sea, when he was chastised and eventually did the right thing.

But when the political ombudsman wrote to Warmonger, he publicly labelled her office and PSOJ (whose tepid statement was a capricious caricature of mindlessness) “sanctimonious non-entities”.

POOR JUDGMENT

Ah, PSOJ. Its statement mentioned Warmonger’s “poor judgment” and called his comments “racially divisive”. WHAT? Is this the best you can do? Poor judgment happens when you’re too weak to resist cheating on your wife. This wasn’t a judgment call. This wasn’t “divisive”. This was deliberately racist and jingoistic language targeting a specific fellow human. For pity’s sake, grow a pair and call a spade a spade.

PSOJ encouraged “Prime Minister and Opposition Leader to take the higher ground in the interest of managing the tone of [their political operatives’] communication….”

Simpering, whimpering fence-sitting pandering! What has Mark Golding done to deserve this ‘encouragement’? If I was he (perish the thought) NOTHING could ‘encourage’ me to even acknowledge these abominations.

Kindly remember, this isn’t Warmonger’s first transgression. Inter alia:

• In 2011, Warmonger intimidated CVM TV reporter Kerlyn Brown and told her, “go to hell”. International Federation of Journalists described the behaviour as “reprehensible”. Daryl Vaz urged Warmonger to apologise. He never did.

• In 2016, Warmonger called MP Lisa Hanna “a Jezebel” IN PARLIAMENT and doubled down, accusing her of being “rude”, when questioned by media. But a Jezebel isn’t a rude person. Look it up.

• In 2018, Warmonger cut off BA TV reporter Sashana Small, who called to ask about Government’s position on strikes at road improvement projects, shouting, “Ma’am, don’t call me and ask any damn nonsense.”

• In 2021, a verbal altercation between Warmonger and a Deputy Superintendent was a viral video’s subject. During an expletive-laden rebuke of the DS (who he called “this boy”), he telephoned someone he called “Horace” to report the policeman for allegedly “drawing his gun”. The policeman, who denied this, was seen being courteous and shaking his head in disbelief at the irrational behaviour.

• Just last month, Warmonger conducted an embarrassing tirade against an NHT Officer during a handing over ceremony led by PM for housing units at a Development in his constituency. Citing as authority for his disruption, “I’m the only person in this country who garners more than 11,000 votes in the last election, during the pandemic, with a 5,000 majority,” he threatened to block NHT from entering Colbeck Castle through available access roads unless a damaged bridge was repaired, allowing residents to use the original entrance.

Now THIS! Warmonger, as cabinet minister, is the best argument in favour of impeachment. As MP, he’s prime example of why Jamaica needs recall elections. Since our legislators prefer one-man ‘oversight’ under Westminster governance, there’s no impeachment; no recall; no deterrence.

In those circumstances, the only thing left to be done with Warmonger is to cover him with cheap American crap – the political equivalent of a 17th-Century Scarlet ‘A’ for adulterers!

Peace and Love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.