Dear Editor,

Everybody knows that Jamaicans are ‘house tidy’ people. We dedicate ridiculous amounts of time and effort to ensure that our homes are kept immaculate. Whether we admit it or not, we are concerned about what others think of us and, in most cases, our homes are the only true forms of reflection.

‘House tidy’ isn’t just the physical structure of a home, but everything and everyone in it. The first job of any Jamaican child is “fi nuh shame dem parents”. Apparently, former National Security Minister Peter Bunting isn’t ‘house tidy’ enough. He’s never been one to choose his words wisely and as such his latest bout of thought-less speech, directed at the recently elected St Andrew North Western Member of Parliament Nigel Clarke came as no surprise to most of us. Suggesting that Dr Clarke reminded him of a black English man aspiring to be royalty was distasteful, to say the least. Bunting’s comments should not have come from a man of his stature and level of education as that kind of thinking is — for lack of a better expression — unthinking.

What is so wrong with being black and educated? Should young, black men and women curb their desires for higher learning for fear they may become unrelatable to some Jamaicans? What is even more hypocritical is that that Bunting, just like Clarke, has been the recipient of several scholarships. Would he have made the same comments about himself? Perhaps not.

I don’t know if Bunting considers himself light-skinned and not black, and as such he is entitled to have a good grasp of the English language and an excellent education without the fear of being ridiculed, thought stush, or aspiring to be royalty. Right?

We must disregard the habit of viewing education with contempt. Recently, charges were laid against Peter Bunting’s son, Brent Bunting, who got into a fracas with dancehall producer Anju Blaxx at Blaxx’s upper St Andrew home. There is much that can be said about what could have caused such an uproar, including cries of classism and the usual uptown vs dancehall line of argument. The most noticeable character trait between these two men was a lack of emotional intelligence and composure. The ability to solve a disagreement without resorting violence was non-existent. How ironic?

The former minister of national security’s son involved in violent altercation? Oh dear.

Again, there is much that can be said about people that live in glass houses and things of that nature, but I’ll leave it at this: perhaps Bunting should devote more of his time to keeping ‘house tidy’, instead of being a loose cannon seeking political mileage.

Tajae Anderson

ms.jaeanderson@gmail.com