THE EDITOR, Sir:

IN ALL my days of watching politicians, I have never seen such a bunch of cry babies. In days gone by, politics was played with no legal holds barred. A man could call his opponent by any name the law allowed, and if the targeted person was armed with wit he'd fire back some repartee and the exchange would be forgotten before long. Nowadays, it seems there are too many politicians who haven't got brains enough to counter the slightest verbal assault. They run to the media for cover, cry foul and call a meeting of their colleagues to nurse their scratches and restore their bruised egos.

The other day, Prime Minister Golding was seeking to explain why the Opposition and its leader could not understand the impact of international prices on Jamaica's imported food bill. When he surmised that they might have termites eating out their brains, the audience chuckled loudly and, I believe, forgot all about it when the meeting ended. However, the media made much of it and right on schedule, the Opposition Leader, apparently with little else on her mind, rose to the bait and began talking about cancellation of important bi-partisan meetings. Her pride and that of her party are supposed to have been wounded. On such sandy grounds stands the business of this country.

Escalation of this nonsense is often due to persons in a section of the media who love to 'carry news' and play the role of 'set-on'. They think it important that they should put valuable time and space at the disposal of politicians playing the little games that are a part of their stock in trade. Why does petty cass-cass make headline news, while so much vital business goes unnoticed? I think it ought to be acknowledged that partisan politics will always be characterised by insulting exchanges, sometimes nasty debate and rude remarks. Those who cannot stand the heat usually get out of the kitchen; and those who treat them seriously will in time realise that they are wasting time.

Let them play, demand they work

When sarcastic or foolish statements are made, not in Parliament, but on partisan political platforms, they ought to be ignored as propaganda. They should not be highlighted and disseminated as if they have anything to do with the price of bread or public morality. Some may think that playing politics should be kept out of government. The fact is that governments are run by politicians and politicians do play politics now and then. On those occasions, we must leave them to play their games, so long as they do the jobs for which they are paid.

I am, etc.,

KEN JONES

alllerdyce@hotmail.com