Friday, February 29, 2008

Impeach the Prime minister??

Misremembered.

That's got to be the one thing I'll remember about February 2008. To me it sounded a lot like Krs-one's faux pas "un-rational" back in the day but apparently its a real word.

Yep Misremembered. There was Roger Clements, all dressed up, in front of the committee dealing with the drama related to the whole question of whether he used HGH and claiming that Petitte misremembered his claims. Yep I'll remember that cause I've followed the story not just from the sporting standpoint but to see how they would deal with him as opposed to how they are dealing with Barry Bonds. So far I'm impressed. They haven't used the kid's gloves on him. He's being investigated by the FBI now so lets see what comes of that.

Actually this entire month has been one of scandal maybe thats what I'll remember most about February 2008. Scandal!

This week in Jamaica former Energy minister Kern Spenser was jailed on corruption, fraud and money laundering charges relating to the Cuban Lightbulb scandal. Pure drama! The man had even cried in Parliament late last year. Cuhdear!

I was a bit surprised on this one to be honest. I just figured all Caribbean poli-tricks-ions had some immunity from prosecution because its alleged (and note I aint saying is true I saying is alleged) that some poli-tricks-ions in the Caribbean have been getting away with murder for years. Well not murder literally but some seriously questionable behavior when it comes to pocketing the states funds and such. Maybe, rather hopefully, this ushers in a new era of responsibility and accountability in the Caribbean. Tiefing politicians best be on their p's & q's from now on. Of course this may just turn out to be a one off and back to business as usual.

And then this morning I read about the next potential scandal right here in Canada. I know allya not going to read the link so I'll try to paraphrase the situation for you.

It is alleged that the current Prime Minister, when he was in opposition knew about attempts to bribe an independent MP to vote with the opposition to bring down the previous government. They even have the PM on tape saying he knew about the attempts! Talk about scandal!

The independent MP was dying and they were allegedly offering him a million dollar insurance policy. Forget corn beef and biscuits or curry goat poli-tricks this is serious million dollar business! Even his widow has come out and said that her husband told her of the offer and was offended by it and dismissed it.

Shocking!

That sounds like some serious bribery was attempted to me. I mean the man never take the bribe and he didn't vote with the opposition but the fact that a bribe was offered and the PM can say yea man I knew about it but I didn't tell them to do it seems like it could be grounds for some charges to be laid.

Actually a couple of things occurred to me on reading this story though:

(1) This is just related to one of the case details. The MP's widow who claims that a bribe was offered to her now dead husband is actually now running for the ruling Conservatives? Huh? Ok let me get this straight, your husband came to you enraged that the Conservatives offered him a bribe and said he was offended and said he was ashamed to have once been part of that party and a few years later you're running for them?

Yet even as you run for them you help in exposing that they tried to bribe your husband?

Whoa! I have to sit down and think through this one. Huh?

(2) This could really bring down PM Harper cause the man get in on a whole I will be a better politician and wont have scandals like the previous Liberal government campaign. Actually got to say for a first world country the politicians in Canada seem to always be embroiled in one scandal or another. One fella allegedly taking bribes from German businessmen, another set had a sponsorship scandal in Quebec now this. Pretty pathetic if you ask me. I really expected better of them but I guess poli-tricks is poli-tricks is poli-tricks wherever you go.

You would like to think though that your poli-trick-sions while shady would be smart enough to avoid being caught in things like these.

(3) Its still early in the story's cycle but I cant help but compare the reactions here to the reactions that would have been garnered if this story was happening in the U.S. I mean its front page news here but its still sort of flying under the radar like a whatever, who cares sort of thing. If this was the U.S, CNN, MSNBC and FOX would have it so that there was no way you could escape this story. They would devote days on end to it with three gazillion experts and eyewitnesses parading on tv ad infinitum til you were so tired of the scandal you would turn off your tv and become a news recluse.

Here the reaction is so subdued. I'm sure even if they decide to hold an inquiry into it we'll all still be like yea whatever man.

9 comments:

Crankyputz said...

Very intersesting post. It was like my 2 min education on the biggest stories of the day. If the PM had said somethng, chances are he wouldn't be PM Right now.

Mad Bull said...

Well, at least we know that is not only the Caribbean and Africa have corrupt politricksions. Thats good, at least.

Anonymous said...

It is always said that cricket was "a game of glorious uncertainties" but it seems that politics is worse. What an opportunistic bunch!

Mad Bull said...

By the way, man, even though you claim to be retired, you still post enough that I felt you were worthy of my "Oonoo Mek Mi Day" Weblog Award. Read about it right here.

Abeni said...

Politicians eh. Never a dull moment with them. Meanwhile, there was a rally yesterday to support PM Gonsalves re the rape charges against him

Amadeo said...

Politicians suck...we should beat them with bags of loose change.

Luke Cage said...

LOL... misremembered! That's become one of my favorite words now J. Can't wait to actually use it in a sentence to make sense.. So true about the KRS-1 "unrational" quip. Funny thing was, how folks argued with me about that word. Sort'a like conversate. Ain't it?

Anonymous said...

Scandal, scandal everywhere! Whatever happened to honesty?

Rose said...

Sadly corruption is everywhere!