Thwaites yielded to temptation during a committee meeting.

HAVING BUILT up a reputation as a model parliamentarian, with one nasty barb, Ronald Thwaites knocked over his own bucket of milk last week.

Parliamentarians trading insults across the aisle is the norm, but one from the mouth of Thwaites, the most unlikely of legislators to display rash behaviour in the House, is unusual. After all, he has become the standard by which we judge our parliamentarians. Provocation is no excuse.

Barred from preaching

During a committee meeting on Wednesday, Deacon Thwaites, who has been barred from preaching by the Roman Catholic Church because of his re-entry into active politics, yielded to temptation and called Eastern St Andrew member St Aubyn Bartlett "a damn idiot."

Thwaites later apologised, but the damage was already done. His garment has been soiled and only time can blot out that blemish.

Man of the cloth crack

But, to this date, Bartlett has not seen it fit to return to Earth. Probably glowing that he has made the man of the cloth crack, he has refused to apologise to Thwaites and the common inner-city people he criticised in Parliament.

Mr Speaker, the gavel must come down hard here. Bartlett should not escape criticism in the matter.

The Eastern St Andrew MP missed an opportunity to speedily reverse an acrimonious exchange between himself and Thwaites. Bartlett, who also hurled distasteful remarks at his colleague, should have done the decent thing and retract the unparliamentary comments he made.

Portrayal of residents

Further, his blanket portrayal of inner-city residents as being less than honest is unacceptable. He charged that inner-city people often approach several persons for cash to fill prescriptions at private pharmacies, then pocket the money and source the drugs at public pharmacies.

We are not in a position to challenge the veracity of Bartlett's claim, as this may occur among some inner-city residents. But the MP should be more precise in his utterances and refrain from daubing everyone who resides in the inner city with one broad brush. Surely, there are many people living in these communities whose integrity cannot be questioned.

We would be the first to agree that Parliament is no Sunday school. Frankly, the House would be boring without a few jabs, but decency and respect should not be compromised. Likewise, the common man should not be scored or demonised.

Thwaites is among a select group that seems to understand what is required to pull Jamaica out of its hole. In just over a year since his return to the House, the Opposition MP has wasted no time in demonstrating to his colleagues how a parliamentarian should operate.

Behaviour and attitude

Few members can lay claim to greater participation in the House of Representatives than he. And no one could accuse him of being disrespectful and confrontational - until Wednesday.

Day after day, Thwaites would turn up at Gordon House to do the people's business instead of shouting insults and engaging in unproductive crosstalk. He stands shoulder to shoulder in select company. Parliament certainly can do with more of his kind - hard working and thinking.

With the exception of some luminaries who ask questions and participate in debates, the House appears overburdened by yes-men and followers who operate in a manner akin to flagmen who flank entertainers like Capleton and Sizzla.

Mr Speaker, we can do without them.

Jamaica is burning: crime, unemployment, moral decline, rising inflation and inadequate opportunities are just some of the issues that confront the nation. There's no more room for disrespect.

thegavel@gleanerjm.com