Clearing… (Norton’s) name

Your Eyewitness was reminded of this good book’s saying, “A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold,” when he read about the leader of the PNC, Norton’s, claim that he was “slandered” by the General Secretary of WIN, Odessa Primus!! With such a high value placed on a “good name”, it’s not surprising that in all the countries influenced by the said teachings, there are enforceable penalties for those who “sully” the names of others!! In the British mores under which we were governed for the longest while, it used to be that if your name was sullied, you’d take out your glove and slap the transgressor with it!! This was tantamount to the older custom of “throwing down the gauntlet” – a long glove!! If picked up, this signalled they were to meet outside and shoot each other with their pistols from twenty paces apart!!
Each combatant would fire one shot, and if neither was hit but the challenger was satisfied, the duel was declared over. However, if the challenger was unsatisfied, the duel continued. But no more than three exchanges of fire were allowed, as to exchange more shots was considered barbaric!! Well, as time went on, the very act of shooting each other to get “satisfaction” about one’s honour became considered “barbaric”! The claim became a matter for the courts to decide under the laws of “defamation”. If the “fighting words” were uttered verbally, then the law covering it is called “slander”, and if published in writing, it’s called “libel”!!
Well, in the matter at hand, Norton claimed in a letter issued through his lawyers, Dexter Smart, that WIN’s General Secretary – the comedian Odessa Primus – “falsely and maliciously” slandered him!! She made statements that “caused serious harm to his reputation locally, regionally and internationally”. Evidently, she’d posted a statement on Facebook on January 30, which read: “Tell your people who are collecting Bharrat money.” Norton claimed the allegation not only tarnished his public standing but could also negatively impact his future professional prospects, particularly in academia!! He demanded publication of an apology and $500,000. Now to accuse the opposition PNC leader of accepting money from the PPP’s VP is serious stuff!! This would mean he was “bought out”!! Oooooh!!
Odessa responded through her lawyer Eusi Anderson, who said he was going to “embark on a linguistic post-mortem”!! He claimed the question mark “bears significance beyond measure”!! and made the statement “rhetorical” – not an accusation!! He further claimed Odessa was referring to India since “Bharat” was also its name!! And queried whether Ms Primus should expect to be sued by India’s 1.4 billion people or Modi!!
Surely Mr Anderson and his client jest!!

…the (extradition) path
And yesterday that other matter, the WIN matter in the courts, continued – this one about the desperate efforts of its desperado leader, Sanction Man, to avoid facing the music in Miami!! But here in old Mudland, that decades-long musical piece by Queen continued to play: “Are you ready? / Hey, are you ready for this? / Are you hanging on the edge of your seat? / Out of the doorway, the bullets rip. To the sound of the beat, yeah/ Another one bites the dust!!”
Another frivolous objection by Sanction Man – this time to the Court of Appeal – bit the dust when they unanimously threw out his appeal from the High Court decision!! Sanction Man and his Daady had claimed that since he was the Opposition leader (LOO), the handling of the extradition order by the Minister of home affairs was made by a POLITICAL opponent!!
But as Justice George pointed out, by that logic, ANY Minister handling extraditions would also make it political!! No extraditions of politicians??
The law is not an ass!!!

…Big Hospital vendors
Your Eyewitness’ been hearing of vendors being cleared from in front of several GT properties. He credited the M&CC for finally “growing a pair”. But the Big Hospital just had to complain – again!!
Lost the pair??