“Feral Cuff” starring Priya Manickchand

Dec 15, 2017 Features / Columnists, Freddie Kissoon

When the then-Education Minister, Priya Manickchand displayed unbecoming conduct in front of an invited audience at the residence of the US Ambassador on the occasion of American Day of Independence in 2014, then-Cabinet Secretary, Roger Luncheon said that Manickchand’s display was a justified feral blast.
Manickchand has accused a policeman of cuffing her in the chest during a scuffle, when police personnel attempted to remove Juan Edghill. From the way Manickchand was crying about the impact of the cuff, one can interpret the assault as a feral blow.
First things first; there should not have been a fracas. What took place in Parliament was the manifestation of an unwritten law that has governed human authority since time immemorial. Let us look at some examples.
While class is in session, the teacher asks Jones not to be pelting paper across the room. Jones laughs, does not stop. The teacher carries on, Jones carries on. The consequence of such a situation is that the teacher has lost authority over the class. The students will not be deterred. Others will copy Jones’s attitude.
The desk officer at a police station tells a member of a group of complainants not to smoke in the station. The guy laughs and continues. The policeman does not act. Immediately, he has lost the capacity to have his orders carried out. The CEO at a bank tells one of his tellers in full view of the staff not to have her pocket radio on when working. She ignores him. He goes back to his office. The other staffers have now seen a weak CEO. He has lost his authority.
We come now to the Speaker of the House. He tells a parliamentarian, I am not giving you extra time to speak; take your seat. The MP says he will not. What is at stake here? It is simple; the authority of the man who is in charge of conduct in the House. If Edghill was allowed to stand up, and the Speaker went about his business, there and then the Speaker could no longer command respect in the Assembly. He loses credibility. He can no longer have his decisions obeyed by the House members.
So today it is Edghill, tomorrow Edghill’s colleague will take his cue from Edghill. That is a monumental recipe for disaster. Enter scene 2. The police are summoned to remove Edghill. Edghill’s parliamentary colleagues exclaim in loud tones that they will not allow him to be taken out of Parliament. The police leave, Edghill is still on his feet disobeying the Speaker’s ruling and the PPP becomes the new authority in the House. Which Speaker, which Parliament, which government will accept that? When did such dereliction of the duties of the Speaker occur in modern times?
Enter scene 3. Manickchand is in tears speaking to the press about being cuffed in her chest by a policeman. The ruckus was captured by dozens of media cameras and countless cell phones. Yet to date, no evidence can be found on video of a policeman hitting Manickchand with his hand or an object in his hand. What I have seen on video is two PPP parliamentarians striking a police officer in the execution of his duty. Their identification was on display. Yet there have been no charges. I also saw a policeman with his shirt badly torn.
Manickchand has an obligation to the nation to supply proof of an assault on her by a police cadre. She spoke to the press about what she suffered. Since no evidence has surfaced, it is incumbent that she supplies the proof. This statement was made by a parliamentarian on what happened to her inside of parliament during a working session. It is a serious indictment against the police force, and both the force and the Speaker must call on Manickchand to show how the action occurred. She has access to many media houses associated with the PPP that filmed the infamy. She has access to dozens of phones of her colleagues who were seen openly filming the clash between PPP parliamentarians and the police.
I don’t have a Facebook account, but persons have been telling me people are mocking Manickchand on Facebook calling her performance one that should earn her an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Yesterday I left Farfan and Mendes in Kingston after a purchase, and as I got into my car, this gentleman asked me if I believe Manickchand’s accusation. I said I am still to see the proof. Another person, an hour later, asked me the same question outside of Survival Supermarket. Honestly! I don’t believe Manickchand.

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