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Dummies 101 on how to apologise

Published:Monday | August 19, 2019 | 12:11 AM

THE EDITOR, Sir:

Both Basil Waite and Mikael Phillips’ apologies, for their verbal battering of Labourites on two different political platforms, lacked humility and sincerity. In neither of those two apologies did they admit that they were wrong for saying the things they said.

Instead, their apologies adopted an ‘if I offended anyone, I’m sorry’ kind of sentiment. To me, such apologies should be deemed non-apology apologies. Likewise, if a car crashed into another car, from behind, because the driver of the former was distracted, he/she would, clearly and completely, be at fault?

Would it be fine for the guilty party to remark, “If the dent I put into your car caused you stress, and if I put your life in danger, then I am sorry?”

What Waite and Phillips should have said is: “For my highly insensitive, offensive and disrespectful remarks towards my fellow Jamaicans and Labourites, which I should never have said, under any circumstances, and was wrong to have said, I sincerely apologise and humbly ask for your forgiveness. You have my unconditional assurance that I will never use such words or stoop to such a level ever again. Thank you, and God bless Jamaica, land we love.”

PATRICK GALLIMORE

pagalley@protonmail.com

Kingston