Last December, we had a very public disagreement with Speaker of the House Mary Lawrence for suspending one of our reporters from covering Legislative Assembly because she thought a story he wrote defamed “the integrity of the country’s Legislative Assembly and… its honourable members”.
She demanded an apology from the Caymanian Compass and the reporter, neither of which have been given. As a result of the ensuing allegations of law-breaking over the story – which Cayman’s attorney general declined to prosecute and for which the legislature and speaker were criticised by human rights groups on five continents – the reporter no longer feels comfortable covering the Legislative Assembly.
On Tuesday, she took a turn on this newspaper’s other primary Legislative Assembly reporter because she felt she was showing too much of her bare leg. The reporter was wearing capri pants, which came down to her mid-calf.
Mrs. Lawrence however, who seemingly has nothing better to do than harass our reporters, saw the pants as an infraction to her arbitrary dress code. We say arbitrary because there is nothing in the Legislative Assembly Standing Orders addressing appropriate dress, nor are there any visible signs posted in the House on the subject. In addition, the Legislative Assembly website has a section called “Visit Us” that addresses several protocols for sitting in the House gallery, but there is not a word about appropriate dress.
Still, because of Mrs. Lawrence’s fashion whims, our reporter was asked by a police officer to leave her seat during a statement by Premier McKeeva Bush. A female Legislative
Assembly staff member told her the speaker had said she was wearing shorts. On examination, the staff member quickly determined she wasn’t wearing shorts. However, had she deemed capri pants were shorts, the implication here is our reporter would have been asked to leave the Legislative Assembly.
The speaker’s actions, in our opinion, are just another attempt to intimidate the free press. Maybe this is her way of getting back at us for not acquiescing to her demand for an apology. We will continue to cover the LA for the good of the public, despite obstacles put in our way.
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Ever since Ezzard put forth the motion trying to intimidate the Compass reporter there has been a tense relationship between the press and the members of the government.
Until the government takes responsiblity for themselves and stops blaming the messenger things will not get better. This current non issue is a red herring at best and looks foolish to the eyes of the world.
Car-jacking in daylight. Armed violence near Ed Bush stadium. Country wide crime is escalating. The Speaker of the House is worried about capris??? There is something wrong in Cayman.
Yet another example of Mary Lawrence’s unsuitability for the position she holds. In any first world country her attempts to muzzle the press would have forced her resignaiton. Here in Cayman, as with so many examples of incompetence and corruption, we shrug and move on.
Someone behaving in this manner is simply power mongering to cover up their ineptness in the position they have landed. FOI act this one and you may find a trail of corruption. Oh, never mind, the Freedom of Information act is a farce in GC. Back to third world order. Looking forward to her next lunatic move.
Time for a competition to determine the order of importance of (say)the 10 matters which seem most to command the attention of our political leaders?
-a few suggestions:
-dress in the public gallery of the LA
-corruption among politicians and parties
-teen age ( and below) beauty competitions
-criminal activities (failing to do anything about)
-Cayman’s financial position (woeful ignorance of)
-excessive development and consequent over stress on Cayman’s natural and human resources.