Dear Editor,

Whether Kern Spencer was misquoted, as he now claims, in regard to his returning to representational politics, I for one would not be surprised if he were to try.

Ours is now a country where many public people have no shame, and where bravado and celebrity/notoriety seem to trump all rational thought and behaviour.

I am fully aware that Spencer was freed of the criminal charges brought against him in the matter having to do with the so-called light bulb scandal. But, to my mind, given the facts gleaned from the news media, the court of public opinion might have reached a different verdict.

Even if, as Spencer now claims, that all he had signalled was his availability to do “political work” for his party, then in my view, no place should be found for him in any forward-thinking organisation. I would have a problem seriously considering voting for any such party. At the very least he has clearly demonstrated his incompetence to manage what ought to have been a straightforward project.

From where I sit, my big regret in this case is that it does not seem as if our system of jurisprudence allows for a group of citizens to bring a civil case against an elected official. If this were possible, I would dearly love to see what the outcome would be.

In the United States, some years ago, the former football star, O J Simpson, was freed of murder charges in relation to the death of his ex-wife and her friend. But this was only the beginning of his sorrows. Apart for the fact that he is now in prison on another unrelated charge, he is now a pariah to a large part of American society.

Spencer should also be confined to the rubble heap of history; there to manage his own personal and private affairs where, hopefully, the public trust would not be in any way affected.

Stephen Harrison

St Mary

stepharrison28@gmail.com