The crime can be serious. Many times the cover-up is worse. This fact has been as plain as a pikestaff since time immemorial, yet some of the wisest men and women of the past, the present, and surely the future have ignored — and will continue to ignore — this great life lesson. Why? It is human nature.

I previously said in this space, but it bears repeating, that human nature remains constant and that supply and demand remain kings. Irrespective of our race, geographical location, culture, religion, or sex (male or female), there are major similarities in our mortal condition and in human behaviour that time and the seasons have not been able to alter — and may never succeed in changing. This is reality.

For these and related reasons I remain convinced that human beings cannot simply rely on the assumed innate goodness of other human beings. History is replete with lessons as to why.

Consider the matter of election promises, for example. For decades many have been relying on the good graces of individuals when it comes to the fulfilling of promises. We have been tricked many times. How might we escape this trap? Strong guard rails!

GREAT LESSONS FROM HISTORY

Offences, felonies, misdemeanours, mistake, misdeeds, law breaking, wrongdoings, violations, and transgressions are inevitable in this mortal life, and that is a big part of the reasons very strong institutional systems and guard rails are de rigueur.

British historian Lord Acton famously wrote in 1887: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” This means that holding influence and authority often erodes a person’s morality, while total power removes accountability, and frequently leads to corruption. This age-old principle suggests that, as influence, authority and power increase, moral judgement tends to decline.

I know some will retort, “Higgins, not me. I could never be corrupted by power and authority.”

Some will doubtless bellow, “Oh, no, I was raised in the ways of the Church!”

The moment I hear human beings speak like this my antennae go up.

For those inclined to conflate things, let me be clear: I am not saying personal scruples do not exist. The point is that we are all mortal. Secondly, minus very strong guard rails, humans, in general, will abuse power.

Recall the story of David and Bathsheba in the Bible. David is described as a “man after God’s own heart” in 1 Samuel 13:14 and Acts 13:22 because, despite his serious flaws, he consistently sought God’s will, repented sincerely of his sins, and maintained a deep, trusting relationship with God.

Think on this, 2 Samuel 11:1, “And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem.”

King David was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Some Bible scholars have expressed a view as to why that was so. I won’t discuss that. Anyway, it was during the time that David stayed back in Jerusalem that he saw Bathsheba bathing fully nude. King David was smitten by her curvaceous form and natural beauty and ordered that she be brought to his chambers. He had intimate relations with Bathsheba. She was married to Uriah, who was one of David’s most loyal soldiers. David soon realised that he had committed a major crime. To hide his great crime David applied two great cover-ups. The second cover-up resulted in Uriah being killed on the battlefield. God then sent His prophet Nathan to David. Nathan told David a parable. David realised the parable was about him and his great crime. “A sword will never depart from your house,” Nathan told King David. This meant, as we say locally, “crawses aguh tek you and your family for ah long, long time”.

And it did. Two of his sons, for example, were killed violently. David eventually had to flee Jerusalem. Crawses!

“Higgins, what is the point?” some might absent-mindedly ask.

This reference to King David and Bathsheba simply reinforces the crux that we are all made from the same dirt. There is no pedigree or mixed-breed (mongrel or mutt) dirt. To David’s credit he fervently repented of his great sins and restored himself into God’s grace. He, however, suffered terrible consequences for his sins. Why? God had set important guard rails. The violation of those systems did not go unpunished. In my view, among other things, God’s treatment of David was a warning to set strong guard rails, for man is fallible.

WATERGATE SCANDAL

“It’s the lie that gets you,” is commonly attributed to Richard Nixon, but it is actually a famous line from the 1995 Oliver Stone film Nixon, in which Anthony Hopkins plays the president. The quote reflects the central theme of the Watergate scandal.

Many scholars agree that it was the cover-up and the falsehoods, rather than the initial break-in itself, that caused the destruction of Nixon’s presidency. Notwithstanding the devastating impact of the Watergate scandal and other mistakes, Richard Milhous Nixon, the 37th president of the United States of America, was one of the most impactful presidents in the last 100 years, I believe.

United States Senate records say that, “Early on the morning of June 17, 1972, five men broke into the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate hotel and office complex in Washington, DC. A security guard discovered the team and alerted the metro police, who arrested the burglars, who carried more than US$3,500 in cash and high-end surveillance and electronic equipment.”

This botched espionage attempt was famously described as a ‘third-rate burglary’ by White House Press Secretary Ron Ziegler on June 19, 1972 to dismiss the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters. Third-rate or not, that sordid attempt to spy on the political campaign activities of the Democratic National Committee led to the resignation not impeachment of Nixon.

Records show that, “Nixon covered up the Watergate scandal by instructing aides to use the CIA [Central Intelligence Agency] to halt the FBI [Federal Bureau of Investigation] investigation, approving hush money payments to burglars and destroying evidence. He publicly denied involvement, claiming no one in his Administration was involved, while secretly taping conversations that confirmed his participation in the cover-up.” (US’s Miller Centre)

The Washington Post’s reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein were the primary journalists who uncovered the Watergate scandal (1972–1974). An anonymous source, “Deep Throat” (later revealed as FBI official W Mark Felt), helped them expose a sleazy political spying and sabotage campaign by Nixon’s re-election committee that ended in his resignation in 1974.

HE’S A GONER?

Ponder this: “Sir Keir Starmer has said it’s staggering that he, as prime minister, was not told about Lord Peter Mandelson failing to pass initial security vetting checks. The prime minister is facing calls to resign over the revelation that vetting officers recommended against Lord Mandelson’s being appointed as US ambassador, but that recommendation was overruled by the Foreign Office.

“Sir Olly Robbins, who was two weeks into the job heading up the Foreign Office at the time, was effectively sacked by Sir Keir on Thursday night. Opposition parties are calling for Sir Keir to resign, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch saying the explanation so far is completely preposterous and “all roads lead to resignation.” (
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), April 17, 2026)

“Cover up,” is the shout of many, many, Britons.

Prime Minister Starmer’s “days are numbered”, according to many social commentators, journalists, and political scholars. Local elections are scheduled to take place across the United Kingdom this Thursday. Some political experts say Starmer has not yet resigned because he is making himself the sacrificial lamb in what is expected to be massive losses for the British Labour Party. I think those experts are on to something.

Recall that in my The Agenda column of January 4, 2026, titled ‘Forecasts for 2026’, I made some projections related to social, political, and related local and international happenings. In relation to the UK, I said: “If the British Labour Party performs badly in the local elections set for May 7, 2026, Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, Andy Burnham, or Ed Miliband could replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister of the United Kingdom.”

Given the political and related happenings in the UK, I believe Starmer is almost certain to resign and, if I were a betting man, I would pick Angela Rayner, former deputy prime minister, or Wes Streeting, the secretary of state for health and social care, to replace him.

Notwithstanding the good accuracy of my forecasts over many years, please don’t go and bet your life’s savings on any of my projections. “Events, dear boy, events,” said Harold Macmillan, prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963, “determine political outcomes.”

I agree. In politics “any number can play,” as we say locally. It bears repeating that I have absolutely no way of seeing into the future, so I make forecasts based on patterns related to past and present events, and on how these will likely influence or impact the future, plus other factors I have explained.

I also made this critical point in my The Agenda column of January 4, 2026: “There are certain patterns in history and certain realities about human beings, irrespective of culture, geographical location, or similar factors. Political gravity is real and nearly inescapable. Foolish or convenient denials will not change the fact that political, social and economic gravity exists. Those who ignore these realities are bound to experience a crash landing.

I take a keen interest in the economic, social, and political happenings of my country. Citizens who do not effectively put their heads under the ignorance guillotine and do so at their peril.

Centuries ago, Plato warned: “If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your Government then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools.” These are global realities.

HERE AT HOME

In recent weeks, shouts of “cover-up!’ have been loud in public in relation to serious findings of maladministration at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) in the auditor general’s report.

Consider this: ‘Gordon summoned! MP to return before ethics committee as scrutiny deepens over accuracy of statements made in closed-door meeting’. The Jamaica Observer item of April 9, 2026 delivered these details: “Member of Parliament for St Andrew East Central Dennis Gordon will be summoned to reappear before Parliament’s Ethics Committee after members raised concerns that the House’s earlier decision to exempt him may have been based on information provided during a closed-door meeting that now appears inconsistent with details that later emerged in the public domain. The decision was made during the second meeting of the committee on Wednesday, where members agreed that Gordon should be recalled to clarify responses he gave during the initial sitting on February 4, which was held behind closed doors.”

On April 22, 2026 this was the banner headline in this newspaper: ‘Overreach… Parliament’s legislative counsel says ethics committee has no power to recall MP Dennis Gordon’. The story said this among other things: “Parliament’s Ethics Committee found itself navigating ‘uncharted territory’ on Tuesday as members squabbled over its authority to recall Member of Parliament for St Andrew East Central Dennis Gordon.

“The meeting, at which members of the media expected to hear from Gordon, instead became a wide-ranging and, at times, tense discussion over whether the committee could lawfully revisit a matter already considered by the House of Representatives.”

Something in this whole affair just doesn’t pass the new car smell test. Some of our leaders — whether elected or selected — seem especially unable to learn the lessons of history. One thing is for sure, two things for certain: Even the whiff of a cover-up does far more damage than any actual misdemeanour or malfeasance that may have been committed. “Tom drunk, but Tom nuh fool,” as we say locally, meaning folks are not fools!

Garfield Higgins is an educator and journalist. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or higgins160@yahoo.com.

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Tourists in front of the White House read headlines ‘Nixon Resigning’ on August 8, 1974..

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HIGGINS … .

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer .

Angela Rayner.