Ever heard that saying before? That the Pot is calling the kettle black? Well essentially this saying is what you normally use when you say something about somebody that you also have as a characteristic. Ok maybe that was a little difficult to understand, imagine if you call somebody a thief while at the same time stealing something yourself. That is a case were the pot calls the kettle black, because well essentially both a pot and a kettle are typically black from being burnt on a fire. Anyway recently there was a case in Jamaica which wasn't exactly a pot calling a kettle black but was close enough to draw my attention, this came in the form of Edward Seaga making scathing remarks about Bruce Golding and his handling of the dudus issue, basically blaming everything on Golding and saying he should resign.

Now anybody with even a shred of knowledge about Jamaican political history will of course go "huh?". This is the only reaction you can have to seaga's comments because as we all know, Tivoli Gardens (TG) and all the problems therein were essentially created by this man Edward Seaga. It's his pride and joy, his city, so much so that he is in charge of nearly all Tivoli Garden's organisations and sports teams. They even have birthday parties in this man's honour every year just to show their appreciation for him.

Yet he has the sheer testicle size to come out and say that it is Bruce Goldings fault?  To me that sounds like the pot calling the kettle black.

During the interview Seaga also made many claims which leads me to question, if he indeed has so much information on the whereabouts of the gunmen of TG, why hasn't he made these reports known to the police beforehand? Could it be because he supports them in their endeavours? I certainly think so. According to an article in the Jamaica Observer:

Seaga took issue with the killing of residents of Tivoli, saying that the people who had arms had left the community. "And they are gone because they got a signal from what was said before, knowing that there was going to be this type of operation. So why are you continuing? Why you shooting people?"

Yet at no point did I hear Seaga beforehand saying to the Police forces that this operation would truly be a waste of time.

Outside of his accusations and what I believe was him trying to remove himself from liability for the issue, Mr. Seaga did make some good points regarding the operation. Such as where he stated that with regards to Bishop Blair's visit to Tivoli Gardens where he stated:

"I am disappointed in him... Not using any analytical experiences he had from the previous incident in 2001. You don't just go there and hand poor people food and say 'okay sit down here until the next package come'. They want to get out. That's what you must call for. They want to be free. They want to be citizens with their rights. It's not a package of food they want. I am disappointed in him...That'a foolish approach."

A comment which to me makes a whole lot of sense, after all it is true that the real innocent people inside TG would really like to leave I am sure but they cant and Blair has done nothing to assist them in their plight, neither has the office of the public defender which continues to make silly non challenging remarks on the issue. I also have to agree with Mr. Seaga that Bruce Golding really should resign because clearly "He cannot cope" with his current job and he simply "should not have intervened in the extradition process". With this I have to completely agree with Seaga 100%, however that does not mean that Seaga can in anyway withdraw himself from fault in the issue, after all TG is really his garrison.

**Taken from Jamaica Observer

It is because of this reason why I have to join with former senior superintendent of police Renato Adams in telling Edward Seaga to shut up and in calling Seaga a hypocrite in its purest form (the latter is my statement, not Adams'). Adams also added that Seaga:

"nurtured this location, this environment and these people, to the extent that the security forces under a JLP government could not bear the onslaught anymore, that they had to put the police and the army to deal with it in a most effective and efficient way. ... Seaga has only himself to blame..."

He even went on to state that

"It is mischievous for Seaga to be saying that Bruce should have gone in there and defended the people. The prime minister of the land with all of the advisors came to the conclusion that it was necessary to go in there and get criminal gunmen. I want to say to Mr Seaga that it is unwise and unprofessional for him to be criticising the prime minister in such a fashion"

And I agree completely with Mr. Adams. It was clearly time to go into and fight what can only be regarded as the strongest garrison in Jamaica and beat it into submission so that there would be a clear understanding of the rule of law by all Jamaicans and all criminal elements. Yes it was a harsh solution but it was still necessary.

All in all I believe that Seaga's statements have done nothing to help this situation and he himself should be ashamed for what he has done. As a matter of fact I think an apology to both the citizens of Jamaica and Bruce Golding should be in order for what he has said. Dont try to call the kettle black Mr. Seaga, after all this was all directly/indirectly your doing.