BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – “MONKEY see, monkey do” is one of the many local parlances that describe people’s behaviour. And this saying holds true, especially in the upbringing of children, as it relates to the learning of processes without comprehending the significance.
Children are tomorrow’s leaders! None of them was born with the desire to embrace bloviation or to become a recluse, but rather the experience they go through that programmes their minds and forces them to act in a certain manner. This therefore means that most of human behaviour is learned, which qualifies “Monkey see, monkey do”.
There was and still is a public outcry for our political leaders to behave in a manner that is conducive to high calibre intellectuals.
This outcry came in the wake of the outrageous, dishonourable and despicable behaviour exemplified by several Members of Parliament on both Benches during Tuesday’s (Nov. 17) sitting of the National Assembly, which caused the Speaker to repeatedly utter words of caution and subsequently suspend the House for 10 minutes.
Since then, many calls were made to this publication denouncing the behaviour, and one caller asked, “Was it Parliament or a Donkey Pasture”, while another commented: “They acted like if they fell out of a breadfruit tree on Mt. Liamuiga.” Another irate caller likened the behaviour to that of “Frigate Bay wild cattle in the olden days”.
Parliament is the supreme legislative authority of St. Kitts and Nevis. It is the place where elected and selected representatives of the people of the twin-island Federation assemble to set the legal framework and oversee the administrative branch of the Government. It also plays the central role in preventing public corruption and to effectively represent citizens.
Therefore, Parliamentarians should actively and visibly carry out their democratic roles in a manner that demonstrates public interest, and they must do so in a way that meets societal expectations of ethical standards, which lead to public trust and confidence.
Tuesday’s sitting clearly showed that the dignity and decorum of the National House of Assembly were pushed to their limits and beyond. Upon taking a stroll in Basseterre to seek the opinion of individuals who had either listened to and or saw what transpired in the House, there was hardly a good word or impression about the behaviour of some Parliamentarians.
While penning this editorial, thoughts of recent statements and advice from politicians, non-governmental organisations and some concerned citizens came to bear.
One of them was a recent commentary headlined “We Are The Change Our Children Must See!” in which the author, Sas Naj, said: “It is incumbent upon the adults of our twin island nation to serve as the torchbearers of hope for our youths. Adults must be willing to commit to transforming the lives of our children in our various communities, ultimately making our nation safer and certainly prosperous.”
Good advice and very thoughtful of the writer.
Another was the call for parents to demonstrate the qualities of good parenting. Apart from politicians, this call was made by a very outspoken woman in Cayon during a town hall meeting with the Police High Command in early October.
The woman highlighted that many parents display the lack of discipline and respect for others, which she noted are habits learned by the children that lead to deviant behaviours.
This observation is one of the many reasons why a breakdown in moral standards and ethical values exist in the Federation among many young people and even some adults.
Just over a week ago, 25 future leaders were recognised as the 2015 Most Remarkable Teens and honoured for their demonstration of strength of spirit and will to accomplish and overcome.
But what about some of our politicians, are they demonstrating those qualities and principles of good leadership?
No, I would say! We expect a display of maturity from them not only in Parliament but also in other areas of their public life as well as in private.
It is a known fact throughout the Caribbean that during election campaigns politicians would use scatological language in a cuss-down mode to degrade their opponents. And much to the consternation of enlightened listeners, some of them are inflexibly wedded to the belief that gutter politics and character assassination are the hallmark of election success.
That is a fallacy and many of us know it, but divisiveness has clouded our ability to be rational.
Those Parliamentarians who displayed the absence of dignified propriety of behaviour in that Honourable House should consider whether they were upholding the voters’ expectations of how their representatives should behave.
They should also consider that if they expect people to respect them, they should set an example of how they behave themselves in the House of Assembly.
I would therefore use this opportunity to recommend that the Code of Conduct for Parliamentarians be made public soonest. And most importantly, the Speaker of the House has to be more rigid in the execution of his duties according to the Standing Orders and Rules of Parliament.
Following two warnings (if not one) to a Member, the Speaker needs not to suspend Parliament, but to expel him/her from the House, which will definitely bring about a change in behaviour; for principles must not be sacrificed at the altar of political expediency.
Finally, to those Parliamentarians who are guilty of despicable behaviour in the Honourable House, I beg of you to desist because our children are watching and learning. Would you be pleased to see that they emulate your behaviour in their daily lives?
Remember the local parlance...“Monkey see, monkey do!”
