A basis for forgiveness

The Editor, Sir:

As I listen to the prime minister trying to explain, rationalise, and apologise for the fiasco that has become known as the Manatt, Phelps & Phillips saga, nothing he has said so far has helped to address two concerns that have arisen from this sordid affair.

Concern One: It is not fair for my tax dollars to be used to pay a solicitor general who whimsically invites a foreign law firm into a sensitive top-level meeting with a foreign government, especially, as we are being made to believe, this firm is not clear as to who are its clients.

Concern Two: It cannot be fair for the Jamaican Government to defend the most important "of every single Jamaican's con-stitutional rights", only to be repaid with insurrection in an unprecedented confrontation against the state.

Inflections and intonations

In fairness to the prime minister, the inflections and intonations that have characterised his protestations have come really close to oratorical brilliance. If so much was not at stake, such oratorical brilliance would suffice to placate the deep distrust with which his government is viewed.

We no longer know what it means to lie by omission because we have lost the sense of "... truth in the inner man". Is it that what we really want is to be forgiven purely on the basis of our guileful speaking?

Let truth arise!

I am, etc.,

EVERAL EDWARDS

everal.edwards@gmail.com

Kingston 19