Dear Editor,

I am one of those against the holding of a Commission of Enquiry into this Manatt matter. The prime minister has already admitted his flawed role, offered an apology and asked forgiveness. The public must by now be sated with the distasteful menu of details that detract from more vital issues such as jobs, food and shelter. However, there are those whose appetite for scandal and political advantage will never be satisfied

Now that a commission of enquiry has been announced, they quibble over the appointed arbiters; and some want to know why there isn’t greater focus on those who died in the Tivoli skirmish. The former minister of finance complains that he does not know one of the commissioners, who happens to be a Jamaican Queen’s Counsel. Yet he had no difficulty accepting an unknown Canadian commissioner, Julius Isaacs, who was appointed by his party to lead investigation into the previous Tivoli skirmish in which 27 citizens were killed, some left rotting in the streets.

My other difficulty with the commission is the cost that will be incurred. The West Kingston Enquiry in 2002 cost taxpayers just under $45 million. The three commissioners shared over $6 million and the Counsel for the Commission cost 4.79 million. Taxpayers also had to pay assistants to the counsel, lawyers representing the Jamaica Constabulary Force, attorneys for the Jamaica Defence Force, plus administrative and operational costs. It is useful for overburdened taxpayers to get an idea of what we will pay just to see some more dirty linen being washed in public. History tells us that the net result will be that a knuckle or two will be rapped, a cheek or two may be slapped, but nary a head will roll.

Ken Jones

Kensjones2002@yahoo.com