Ian BoyneBRUCE GOLDING and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) scored a noteworthy victory for decency and accountability last Thursday when they accepted the resignation of their alleged wife-beating Spanish Town Mayor Raymoth Notice.
The party could have allowed the whole messy saga to drag out in the media, hoping for the nine-day wonder phenomenon to click in, and engaging in the usual political blindsiding and whispering about who in the PNP is guilty of the same and worse. Indeed, the day before, the newly-appointed spokesperson on Information gave the old-style and legalistic reply that since the charges by Notice?s wife were withdrawn, no action would be taken by the party. At least in this instance Bruce Golding showed decisiveness and leadership when he personally took his top leaders to the meeting with Notice and his councilors to stamp his authority on the proceedings. (Golding chaired the meeting.)
My information is that Notice had done the honourable thing of resigning even before the meeting and that he did not have to be pressured. By taking this action the JLP has served notice (no pun intended) on the political class that the bar has to be raised and that the time for hair-splitting and legalistic gymnastics has passed. They could have continued the Nelson line that "we have no real evidence that Notice is a wife-beater" and that "every man is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law".(My quotes)
Meanwhile, Notice would continue speaking out boldly and lamenting the violence in Spanish Town and making various headline-catching suggestions as to what should be done to put away these persons guilt of these violent acts, many of which are classified as domestic violence. And they could be assured, in this tribalistic and partisan society, that the JLP supporters, including those in the media, as well as JLP feminists, would make all kinds of excuses for Notice's continuing in office, pointing out that "PNP ministers are getting away with worse than that" and are not being pressured to resign, so why trouble poor Mayor notice for this 'little problem'.
Indeed, one regular JLP caller to Ronnie Thwaites Independent Talk on Thursday morning chided the media for giving so much attention to Notice?s ?little problem?, eliciting from the normally sharp Thwaites a tame, sympathetic reply. Quite appropriately, long-time progressive activist and Garveryite Beverley Hamilton, a veteran journalist, called up to criticise Thwaites? lame response, pointing out forthrightly and firmly that domestic violence is no little problem and is the source of a great deal of the violence in the country. Thwaites, gracious and rational man that he is, consented that she was right, after all.
The JLP is to be commended for its action and if my usually accurate source is right that Notice willingly resigned, Notice must be commended, too. But Notice would have stayed in office had the media not played up the issue as heavily as it did, and this again shows the important and critical role that a free Press plays in the society. If the media had shunted this story to the back pages and the electronic media downplayed it, Notice would still be issuing edicts to criminals in Spanish Town, and the JLP would very likely be happy to have him continue as Mayor. Though it is clear from the court documents that the wife-beating allegation was not a one-off affair but had been taking place over a number of months, at least.
FREE, VIGOROUS PRESS
A free, vigorous Press is essential to maintaining good governance and in forcing politicians to be accountable. This should encourage other battered wives of public officials and politicians to come forward, for a clear precedent has been set for heads to roll over these 'little things'.(Notice the quotation marks, careless readers)
But it is not only the Press, the JLP and Notice who ought to be commended. Even more crucially we have to heap the highest praise on one woman, Linstead Resident Magistrate Clerk of Court Maxine Jackson ? bless her ? who rejected Notice?s lawyer?s plea for an in camera hearing. According to The Gleaner report, Maxine Jackson told the goodly lawyer that she had to oppose his request on the ground that ?there cannot be two separate laws for the rich and the poor?. Excellent point. High praise also to Resident magistrate Simone Maddis for allowing the case in open court. (If these two were men, would it have been different?) Jackson also noted that it was the second time Notice was appearing before the courts on assault charges. One remembers the tragic case of his poor, hapless driver who alleged assault from the Mayor.
Also, and very significantly, we have to commend Mrs. Notice. I know every woman in Jamaica is proud of her and admire her enormous courage, strength of character and no-nonsense stand. There are many women in Jamaica, some married to prominent men who give glowing speeches and take great lofty stance on human rights, justice etc. who are suffering in silence. Many are held under exploitative conditions because of economic bondage, fear of losing their status and shopping privileges.
Mrs. Notice withdrew the charges on the ground that her husband should check himself into counselling. It would seem the woman wants to save her husband, not destroy him. We should support her in that mission.
All of us as men, especially in this society, have been badly warped by sexist views and sentiments. Our chauvinistic conditioning has been deep and thorough. From the church, to the culture (including our music) to outside influences and thousands of years of patriarchy, many have become routinised to chauvinism to the point where we can't even recognise it. Last week I wrote about our casual attitude toward sexual exploitation.
Many of us have been socialised to see women as children who ought to be beaten for their own good when they don't submit. Many have absolutely no guilt over it for some believe that since the days of Eve women have been misbehaving.
Even among us educated professionals there are still huge traces of bigotry and prejudice. The JLP, by accepting Notice?s resignation 'or forcing it ' has sent an important signal to the entire society that domestic violence is a serious issue and that even when allegations are not proven in a court of law they are serious enough to warrant dismissal from certain positions. The feminists and every believer in morality and ethics should be pleased at the results, not because anyone wants to rejoice over the high-flying Mayor's crash but because an example has to be made of what is a very serious violation.
HIGHEST ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
I am sure there are people in both JLP and PNP who believe that too much is being made of this thing and there are more important things for people to resign over. Besides, some believe "dem fe get lick", referring to our women. Some will even say that there are women who say that if their men don't beat them they don't really love them. But the notice has to be given that leadership demands a commitment to the highest ethical principles and that these principles are inviolable. Let the Notice fall be a sign to all of us who are leaders "in the political parties, churches, civic groups, private sector, youth clubs etc. " that we have to pay close attention to ethics.
It seems clear that Notice has a serious anger problem. Did you remember his incident with former Security Minister K.D. Knight? There are many persons in our society with anger problems; many who lack emotional control. I have seen many a brilliant, talented and otherwise good men and women destroyed because of a lack of emotional control. This is why I have written so frequently about the importance of values and attitudes, and the importance of the ethical perspective, for I have seen some great ideologues and progressive leaders destroy themselves because they just could not control their anger. Not all of them took it out on their wives, but their irascibility and hostility just tore them apart.
It is time that we emphasise that it is not enough to be bright, not enough to be technically brilliant, not enough to boast enormous talent. Character is important. Jamaica needs more leaders of character, more leaders who can restrain their emotions, and more leaders who have emotional mastery.
Raymoth Notice can rise again. He must not be written off. He is redeemable. He has started off well by being open and frank about his issues and he has done the right and decent thing to resign without being pressured, as far as I know (and I don't know everything on this issue). His friends and party must nurse him to emotional health and perhaps he can help other men with the same problem.
Let us learn from this the dangers of the lack of self-control and the horror of domestic violence. Let us recommit as a society to paying serious attention to these so-called 'little things'.
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Ian Boyne is a veteran journalist. You can send your comments to ianboyne1@yahoo.com or infocus@gleanerjm.com
