Gordon Robinson | Once can be accident ...

Yet another social media furore generated by yet another legal and constitutional gaffe by Jamaica’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs Minister distracted from the October 16 Heroes Day celebrations.

On Heroes Day eve, at 6.01 pm Minister Marlene’s twiddling thumbs were all about picking a fight with the United Kingdom. This is what she tweeted:

“Independence Constitution of Jamaica 1962 gives deepest protection to British Monarch in Govt of Jamaica. GovernorGeneral is personal rep of King Charles III. Why should GG be required to apply for & obtain visa to travel to UK on officialbusiness? @ukhomeoffice @JudithSlater_UK”

Normally I would expand by edit to ensure the language isn’t adumbrated by Twitter’s character limit but, this time, accuracy is more important.

In what must be a first for Jamaica’s diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom, King Charles’ High Commissioner to Jamaica, Judith Slater, publicly corrected Minister Marlene. She replied directly on Twitter, at 8.21 a.m. on Heroes Day (a Public Holiday in Jamaica):

“The Governor General and Lady Allen are not required to obtain a visa, but rather a vignette, or stamp, is put in their passports which states (sic) that they are exempt from requiring visas. This is renewed every 2 years.”

I’ve neither time nor inclination to engage JLP trolls who contend, based on viewpoints that could only be driven by politically polluted dementia, that the disagreement equates potayto, potahto. Unless, of course, they can tell me how else, other than an official notification in the passports, inserted after Government confirmation of appointment, would the UK Government know who is their King’s representative. Recall that neither King Charles nor his Government made the appointment.

There are so many other mind boggling counts nationally and internationally against the law of common sense included in Minister Marlene’s tweet that the Foreign Affairs Minister might wish a hole would appear in a cemetery and swallow her up just so she could roll over in it. For example:

(1) Why is a Minister of the Jamaican Government making such an internationally contentious public statement against a friendly nation?

(2) Did Minister Marlene make any effort to contact the UK High Commission (or even her own Ministry of Foreign Affairs) either to locate a fact or three or to raise any ministerial concerns before sending this volatile tweet out into the metaverse?

(3) How is it our Legal and Constitutional Affairs Minister does not know that the GG (and his wife) was “not required to obtain a visa”?

This is the sort of impetuous behaviour that has led many to the view that Minister Marlene is just not ready. I realize her St James West Central constituency is a swing seat (won by PNP in four of the previous six elections) that she appears the best JLP chance to retain. This tends to hamstring a PM who can’t seem to find a quiet cabinet spot to hide her but she is proving more and more of an embarrassment to an embattled Government.

Déjà vu.

Could you be the dream that I once knew?

Is it you?

Déjà vu

Could you be the dream that might come true?

Shining through?

I keep remembering me

I keep remembering you

Déjà vu

This isn’t the first time Minister Marlene has poked her nose in Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs where she had no official business. In June 2016, riding tall on a religious high horse, she criticized the U.S. Embassy for flying a rainbow flag after the Orlando nightclub mass shooting. According to Minister Marlene it was “disrespectful of Jamaica’s laws.”

How?

How can a sign of respect from a Sovereign State on Diplomatic lands after its citizens were the subject of a hate crime be “disrespect” to local laws? Does Minister Marlene also believe that the diplomatic immunity given to US Embassy officials and their wives is disrespectful of Jamaican Laws? Both issues arise from international law and treaty whereby every host nation must respect the sovereignty of foreign embassies in host countries. It has nothing to do with the host nation’s local laws. Is Minister Marlene aware of the details of the near fatal car accident in 1994 that destroyed legendary Dancehall DJ Tiger’s career? Why was the culpable driver not charged?

The thing about diplomacy is that one nation does not pick fights with another simply due to differences in philosophy or policy. These differences are accepted and sometimes the subject of closed door discussions if they should become too intrusive. No cabinet minister can afford to allow personal (or even national) religious fervour to goad that minister into public inflammatory statements hostile to nations with whom we are not at war; with whom we have long standing “friendly” relations”; and from whom we seek financial and logistical aid on a regular basis.

It. Is. Not. Cricket!

I’ve frequently criticized Minister Marlene’s handling of the Constitutional Reform Process but this is much worse. That process is an internal matter which we can argue about ’til thy kingdom come. No biggie. This, on the other hand, involves international affairs. Once can be accident. Twice is purpose. It’s time for Prime Minister Andrew Holness to step up to the plate; act in the national interest; and find somewhere else (inside or outside of his cabinet) to hide this visibly, verbosely injudicious Minister.

Also her myopia is showing.

Who cares about the Governor General and Lady Allen? What real problem do they have travelling to Merrie Olde England? For example, they were even able to do their jobs by representing Jamaica and the King at Charles’ coronation despite it taking place on a Saturday – a day on which, for religious reasons, the Governor General won’t work when in Jamaica. What about the rest of us who are still British subjects, under a Constitution enacted by Westminster, yet are forced to beg visas to visit the “motherland”? As MP does Minister Marlene not represent St. James West Central’s residents ALL of whom must apply for a “Visa Visa” (often summarily denied) and not be handed what her JLP sheep call a “vignette visa” (never denied)?

What about THEM?

As cabinet minister does Minister Marlene not represent every Jamaican citizen inconvenienced; embarrassed; and privacy-invaded by having to apply for a Visa from the same country that beseeched us to come AND STAY after World War II when its labour force was decimated? So why is Minister Marlene so focused on poor, deprived GG and wife? Has Minister Marlene lost sight of her actual job?

Minister Marlene, you represent us. GG represents King Charles. Get your priorities straight!

During a hiatus from the music of the great Burt Bacharach, Dionne Warwick experimented, with ease, grace and vocal excellence, in various genres including Latin music. In 1979 she released Déjà vu, a ballad with a difference, written by Isaac Hayes (author of the theme music for “Shaft” starring the great, sadly recently departed Richard Roundtree) with lyricist Adrienne Anderson, for her album Dionne produced by Barry Manilow. Hayes wrote the music in 1977 (which he called “ Déjà vu” even without lyrics) while on tour with Dionne. She remembered hearing him play the tune two years later and asked for a tape. Barry Manilow then sent it to his personal lyricist to add lyrics. The song received two Grammy Nominations and won the Grammy for best female R&B vocal performance.

I also have a few choice words for Bonnie King Charlieboy. If you are King of Jamaica NO JAMAICAN should need a Visa to visit your Kingdom. That you make special arrangements for one Jamaican and his wife and not for the rest of your Jamaican subjects mean you are not my King. You should abdicate immediately. And take your Court with you!

While Minister Marlene and High Commissioner Judy were squabbling on Twitter, real Jamaican heroes, all requiring a Visa to travel to UK, were forced to endure the affront of having to sit through a trooping of the King’s Colours before receiving his or her National Honour. Nationally, this is intolerably obsequious and insufferably inappropriate.

Kindly remove it from future ceremonies. No referendum required.

Peace and Love.

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