…vs interpretations
Things were proceeding so blithely after the “scientific revolution”, the chattering class of Europe declared their era the “Age of Enlightenment”! In capitals! But there came a fella Nietzsche, who upended it all with his mordant perspective on the received wisdom. (“Nee-chee”, like the sewing machine!) One of his pithy pronouncements was “there are no facts, only interpretations”.
This view’s even more radical than the new Trump Epistemological Doctrine on “alternative facts”. With the latter, both the speaker and the audience accept there are, in fact, something ontologically grounded, called “facts”. What Nietzsche asserted and all his post-modern followers assert is there are no such “facts” out there to be “discovered”, independently of our interpretations!
Now, if you think your Eyewitness must’ve inhaled some good old “Jamaican Gold” to be carrying on like this, he didn’t. He’s just trying to offer a possible explanation for the “explanations” being offered for the firings of some high-placed officials in the State apparatus. It all started when Justice Kennard was given 36 hours’ notice to clear his desk as Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA). The Minister to whom he reported – Minister of Public Security Khemraj Ramjattan – said, even though his performance was exemplary, he was let go by Prezzie on account of his “age”.
Now Prezzie’s finally confirmed this assertion. And this is where the matter of “facts and interpretations” arise. It is, after all, a fact that Justice Kennard is nearing 80 – but who gets to “interpret” this fact to make him too “old” and incapable of performing his job that he should, therefore, be sent out to pasture? As your Eyewitness said before, Prezzie has the power to appoint the Chair to the PCA – but nowhere in the act does it extend that power to fire the man. There is – we’re told – the niceties of the “rule of law” to be complied with, no?
On what grounds has Prezzie, therefore, determined that Kennard is in his dotage? Prezzie echoed the subject Minister Ramjattan that Kennard was performing ably in his job, so it can’t be a matter of “competency”. Prezzie intimated he’s about to issue a directive on this issue of age limits on the job. But isn’t this putting the cart before the horse? And is this a role for him, or the legislature? And then, in our newfound Republican awareness, maybe it ought to be the subject for a referendum?
And why wouldn’t Prezzie say whether the new rule would apply to 80-year-old Hamilton Green “O.R.”.
Is it, to paraphrase Humpty Dumpty, a word is whatever Prezzie wants to interpret it as??!!
…on GECOM
Like Bobby Brown, Prezzie’s also asserted some “prerogatives”. Here, to interpret the Constitution on who chairs GECOM. Prezzie seems to feel the person ought to not only be “sober as a judge” but to’ve actually been a judge.
But your Eyewitness thinks events have highlighted the need for some new skills. Ironically on the same day the departing Chair penned a rather sweet letter to his staff echoing Juliet’s “parting is such sweet sorrow” line, came a reminder that some in the same staff might’ve connived to swindle hundreds of millions from the Elections’ watchdog.
No one can even hint the outgoing Chair was involved with those shenanigans. Not only is it clear the judge-like fella wasn’t one to suffer fools (gladly or otherwise!), it’s a cert someone who felt the sting of his acerbic tongue in this small, ego-riven country would’ve long spilled the beans on him, if he’d dipped his hand into any till. So maybe the GECOM chair should be an accountant who’s fit to be a judge.
Chris Ram, anyone?
…on Education Reform
The Minister has named a Task Force, and tasked it with convening a Working Group, to work to form a Focus Committee, which will focus on launching an Action Quorum to report back to him.
By 2020??
