The Worst Kind Of Pathetic

Let's start with one question.

Can one expect fair judicial proceedings Bermuda if accused of a crime?

I would be inclined to say yes. Especially because we can't even convict people who are guilty never mind those who are innocent.

Have established that I think it's fair to say that were I to be falsely accused of a crime I would be eager to demonstrate the charges as false as soon as possible. I think that's something we all share.

Now consider Jahmel Blakeney.

Were I to want to give him the benefit of the doubt when he fled the country he's as good as extinguished that desire by challenging the extradition request filed by the Bermudian Government.

Here now we have nothing more than an obvious, pathetic attempt to keep himself out of jail and shirk all responsibility for his actions. He has been transformed before our very eyes from a full grown man into a pathetic coward running from what's coming to him.

He claims the Bermuda government hasn't presented enough evidence to prove him guilty. Although if that's true it's strange to me that he refuses to come before Bermuda courts. If the prosecutions case is so weak that it can't justify his transportation to Bermuda to face trial then surely there's no hope in hell of it securing a conviction. Clearly someone is counting on a sympathetic American judge.

Ignoring completely the unjust practice of allowing one country to decide whether or not another country should have the right to try someone accused in that country of breaking that country's laws (assuming a fair judicial process) just the fact that he is fighting the extradition comes across to me as proof of his guilt.

I look forward to when Bermuda get its chance to try this pathetic excuse for a man and lose the case on a technicality or out of incompetence. Or perhaps I'm being too harsh. Although we can be sure that in the event of a conviction the judge definitely won't.

The Cannabis Debate

Over the past few months we've had quite the back and forth (mostly between members of the PLP) in the news over the issue of whether there should be a new debate drug control. Whatever your views on this subject I think we can all accept that debating the issue is exactly what we need to do. When everything is on the table (as it always is after a full and robust debate) we can begin to make informed decisions about the future of drug control on the island, whether it be strengthening them, weakening them or adopting a completely different approach.

More recently the leader of the BDA has come out and spoken out against having such s debate and shared a heart wrenching story about what he and his family went through because of his fathers addiction to drug but, while that may provide a reason to argue against weakening controls it is irrelevant in the immediate question: Whether a debate should be held. While his views are understandable given his past he cannot let his personal feelings or even the feelings of the members of his party prevent a wider public debate.