LATEST NEWS:
Editorials
Bad advice, Nettleford Committee
Thursday, October 22, 2009
We are in complete agreement with the Human Resource and Social Development Committee of Parliament, for its rejection of the recommendation that national honours recipients pay for their miniature badges.
Perhaps the National Honours and Awards Committee, chaired by no less than the eminent Professor Rex Nettleford, was trying to be cute and to demonstrate business acumen. But no matter the good intent, the recommendation leaves a bad taste in the mouth.
Asking award recipients to fork out money, even if it's not much, runs counter to the spirit of honouring someone and smacks of paying for the award.
The large majority of those who receive national awards and honours, we feel certain, are people whose exceptional contribution goes well beyond their monetary value. For many, and we think most of them, money was the farthest thing from their minds when they were doing their best - sacrificing even - to advance the welfare of their fellow men.
Moreover, there are countless numbers of Jamaicans who, in serving their compatriots through a wide variety of organisations and institutions, end up spending their own money. Volunteerism, an area through which many of our honorees emerge, can be very expensive in Jamaica.
Bestowing national honours must, surely, be one time when the country should be ready and willing to not count the cost of the little symbols which we give out annually.
We must admit to some difficulty in comprehending how someone as astute as the committee's chair, the much revered Professor Nettleford, could have gone along with such a thoughtless proposal. Of course, it might have been a majority view and he went along on the basis of collective responsibility.
We commend the good sense of the Human Resource and Social Development Committee in dispatching the recommendation to file 13. Jamaican sentimentality against attaching money to national honours and awards runs deep.
And going by our report in yesterday's Observer, we wonder if Member of Parliament Mr Ronnie Thwaites is real. Out of one side of his mouth, Mr Thwaites advocates that consideration should be given to the withdrawal of honours if future behaviour deems one unworthy of holding such an award. That's not bad.
But then he turns that upon its head in supporting the proposed honour to American Congressman, Mr Charles Rangel, saying: "He may have his tax problems in the United States. We do not know if they are well founded or not. But what we do know is that that man has been a wonderful friend to the Caribbean and to Jamaica. And therefore let's honour him."
We can't have it both ways, Mr Thwaites. A more sensible suggestion would be to wait until the case is resolved and then honour Mr Rangel, if he is not guilty of the charges. We would not want to have to withdraw any honour, should he be found wanting in future.
In the meantime, we have other ways of honouring someone like Mr Rangel who, and we agree with Mr Thwaites, has been a great friend of Jamaica and the Caribbean over many years.
Mr Nettleford's committee has made other very interesting recommendations which we hope will be debated soon. We hope that their work will help to enhance the credibility of the system of national awards and honours which have too often been given to persons of dubious qualification.
Other Stories
Towards justice and security in football
We couldn't have said it better, Dr Stafford
Get ready for a Sino-American bi-polar world
Can just anyone slip into the national team?
In the milk of human kindness.
Selecting Reneto Adams as police commissioner
BOJ governor's emoluments: Who is responsible?
Redeveloping downtown Kingston
RSS Feeds