Gordon Robinson | The essence of leadership

In Apocrypha, our favourite Fantasyland, Promises Not Performance (PNP) Leader, Bark Balding, considered putting Oma D’unn’s number on speed dial.

Readers remember Oma whose consultancy firm, Oma Unsacked, turned Oma’s hobby of solving political dilemmas by parable into a profitable enterprise. This time one of Bark’s MPs infringed the most sacred parliamentary rule and, with the help of colleagues, defied the Speaker who had imposed sanctions.

Public blowback was as devastating as a Category 5 hurricane. Bark asked Oma for advice to help him deal with this latest political debacle. 

Oma advised him to buy new brakes. Bark looked blank so Oma told him the story of a man accused of motor manslaughter.

“Judge: How could you kill 24 people? What’s wrong with you?

Driver: I was driving at 50mph when I saw two men crossing the road. On the roadside, there was a restaurant with outside seating. I wanted to apply the brakes but I realized they weren’t working. So I had to take a decision: Either hit the 2 men or run into the restaurant. 

Judge: Hit the 2 men of course! 

Driver: Exactly! After hitting the first man, the other man ran inside the restaurant so l followed him.”

Bark remained clueless so Oma told him that the original MP having crossed the line it was up to him not to multiply the misdeed. Put a stop to any further misconduct. Apologize to the Speaker and Parliament. Don’t cause any more damage. 

Back on The Rock, many were shocked last Tuesday evening when Angela Brown-Burke, apparently in protest for not feeling heard, left her seat; approached the parliamentary table; and removed the mace from its setting. 

This might appear to the parliamentary neophytes as inconsequential but, in Westminster-style Parliaments, interfering with the mace is considered a highly egregious offense; and a gross breach of parliamentary privilege that immediately halts all proceedings. Historically, this is so mainly because:

* The mace is the literal symbol of the (absent) Monarch’s authority delegated to Parliament. Without the mace present in its proper place, the House cannot be legally constituted. 

* Because touching the mace brings all parliamentary business to an immediate standstill, any unauthorized MP who touches, seizes, or removes it faces swift, harsh disciplinary action from the Speaker including immediate suspension from the day’s proceedings 

As Angela reached for the mace, in what I consider to be an act of disrespect for the Parliament, Damion Crawford, Opposition EDUCATION Spokesperson, who often touts himself as future PNP Leader, gleefully leapt up and pranced along the steps wearing a bright smile of delighted support. 

Nice example for educators and students to emulate.

Then, regrettably, the Speaker appeared ruffled and added to the pathos by speaking to the offending MP in a not-very-parliamentary manner abruptly ordering her “outside!” in a very schoolmarmish tone. Still her ruling’s substance was spot on and the suspension imposed lenient.

In 1969 Keble Munn removed the mace. He was suspended for six months. UK Labour Party MPs, Ron Brown (1988) and John McDonnell (2009) were suspended for twenty and five days respectively. In 2024, Bahamas Opposition MP, Shanendon Cartwright, was suspended for two sittings.  

After the Speaker ruled, Dayton Campbell, seated to Angela’s left, urgently waved Opposition members to circle the wagons around Angela. Dayton was then seen arguing with the Marshall whose body language was respectful. Damion enthusiastically joined the blockade. Julian, seated to Angela’s immediate right, stood in position but appeared half-hearted as he stared straight ahead focused on his phone. Mark Golding, seated to Julian’s right, stood; turned to face Angela; but didn’t intervene.

Lookie here: Angela Brown-Burke was guilty of an egregious breach of parliamentary protocol. But what her colleagues did after the Speaker imposed a minimum penalty defiantly compounded the violation by adding contempt to misconduct. Mark should have applied the brakes.

Only PM, exuding calm and maturity, displayed any leadership qualities:

“What we are witnessing now is a display which, when we reflect on this in years to come, it will not be amongst our best and I think the Order of the House and dignity of the House must be preserved. I will invite all members to join in preserving the dignity of the House.”

What’s most disappointing is the ringleaders were PNP Chairman; General Secretary; and self-proclaimed aspiring Party Leader. In my opinion, each established lack of suitable leadership skills and none resemble an appropriate candidate for PNP leader.

Regardless how unfairly you “feel” you’re being treated, interfering with the mace isn’t a last or any resort. Intellect alone does not a Party Leader make. Discernment is essential. As driver, even if brakes don’t work, you should use the steering wheel to guide the car away from further disaster. Don’t follow puerile protest with disgraceful disorder.

Peace and Love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com