The apology issued by Hampton High School Principal Mrs Heather Murray yesterday was, we believe, more than just mere words on paper.

We got the sense that Mrs Murray was being sincere and truly remorseful about the actions that led her to this moment.

It is obvious that, having had the opportunity for reflection, Mrs Murray came to accept her error of judgement and, as such, demonstrated one of the characteristics that contributed to her reputation as an educator of utmost distinction.

For Mrs Murray, we believe, would have had reason on more than one occasion to counsel the young ladies in her care at Hampton about contrition and the fact that it takes strength to apologise.

We can understand the emotion and sense of loyalty that Mrs Murray felt when she went to the St Elizabeth Parish Court on the day that Pastor Rupert Clarke was being arraigned on rape and carnal abuse charges.

For, as she pointed out previously, she has had a long and close friendship with the clergyman and his wife.

But, as Mrs Murray so correctly stated in her apology yesterday, she had “become so immersed in the emotional trauma of the hurt and embarrassment which the wife of the accused was experiencing that I failed to realise that my presence in the precincts of the court could possibly be misconstrued as taking the side of her husband, rather than the victim”.

Added Mrs Murray: “In my sisterly embrace and response of loyalty to her, I failed to take into account that my being there could expose my office or the institution I head to any hint of controversy or cloud of misunderstanding.”

Mrs Murray went further to state that she was deeply aggrieved at the perception, because it contradicts her lifetime work as an educator, mother, wife, and a woman.

She also apologised for trying to prevent a television videographer from recording Pastor Clarke leaving the courthouse, saying she accepted that the action was “imprudent and inappropriate” as it represented an interference in the right of the free press to do its job.

We accept Mrs Murray’s apology and remind those who remain strident in their view that she should be sanctioned that the strength she has demonstrated in saying sorry should be eclipsed only by our willingness to forgive her.

Sick humour from Mr Jacob Zuma

Mr Jacob Zuma, the disgraced president of South Africa and leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), is reported to have admitted that mistakes had cost the party dearly in local elections last August.

“The ANC has heard the message that the people delivered in August. We accept that we have made mistakes,” Mr Zuma said on Sunday at a ceremony marking the 105th anniversary of the party.

Readers will recall that Mr Zuma has been at the centre of some of the scandals that have eroded the credibility of the ANC — credibility that people like the late President Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu, Messrs Walter Sisulu, Steve Biko, and many others fought long and hard to build.

In recent years we have not come to expect much from Mr Zuma in terms of dignity, but on Sunday, he delivered this gem: “When leaders and members of the ANC are corrupt and steal they are betraying the values of the ANC, the people and our country. We will not allow this.”

Maybe we’ll comment on this when we stop laughing in about the next 12 months.