{"id":20669,"date":"2018-10-09T08:09:34","date_gmt":"2018-10-09T12:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=20669"},"modified":"2018-10-09T10:34:22","modified_gmt":"2018-10-09T14:34:22","slug":"commentary-a-teenagers-decision-national-outrage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/commentary-a-teenagers-decision-national-outrage\/","title":{"rendered":"COMMENTARY: A Teenager’s Decision – National Outrage"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0RAWLSTON POMPEY<\/p>

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It\nhas always been the contention of former House Speaker Dame D. Giselle Isaac\nand Queen\u2019s Counsel, Sir Gerald A. Watt KCN, that the law was either\nmisinterpreted and\/or misapplied. They may have seen stranger things than\nfiction. Even so, it matters not if\u00a0 \u2018Dame Giselle\u2019<\/strong> had likened \u2018Sir Gerald\u2019<\/strong> to the domesticated male\nanimal called a \u2018Jackass;\u2019<\/strong> it also\nmatters not if he in turn had likened her to the female, correctly called a \u2018…Jenny ass.\u2019 <\/strong>Though through their\noccasional public spats, they continue to show despise to each other, they have\nshown commonality of understanding of the term \u2018…The Law is Asinine.\u2019 <\/strong>Incidentally, the citizenry makes no\ndistinction of sex, they just simply call a talkative or egoistic, braggadocios\nperson, a \u2018…Jackass.\u2019 Lest it may be misconstrued, as much as they may appear\nverbally vicious and cross, neither is tethered or fed on hay or grass. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PUBLIC CONSCIENCE<\/strong><\/p>

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When\none speaks to the \u2018…Public\nConscience,\u2019<\/strong> one takes into consideration the fundamental value of that\nwhich is cherished by members of society and protected by law. Clearly in\ndifferent categories, both share commonality of understanding that the law,\neffectively enforced, improperly interpreted, with procedures ignored or\ncircumvented some decisions often disturbs the public conscience. Procedural deviancy\nhad often triggered rebuff and abhorrence, thereby outraging the conscience of\nthe nation. Constitutionally, it is written that (i) …The law symbolizes the public conscience; (ii) …that every\ncitizen above the age of criminal responsibility \u2018…owes to it an undivided\nallegiance.\u2019<\/strong> Citizens may rationalize expression of private views of\njustice or expediency. The law not only imposes a duty upon agents of the\nState, but also it shall subject itself to the law\u2019 [CO: 1981: Founding\nPrinciple D]. Not infrequently, citizens have been given reasons to believe\notherwise. <\/p>

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LAW OF ASINITY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though\nthe \u2018…Gentle Lady and the Gentleman\u2019 kept beating each other, neither has\nbeen endowed with the instinct of \u2018…Balaam\u2019s\nDonkey\u2019<\/strong> [Numbers 22: 23]. Moreover, even as they battle for supremacy of\nknowledge and wisdom and superiority of understanding, they could never be so\ninspired to see danger and shy away from it. Though each may or may not savor\nengaging each other in verbal public squabbles over \u2018…interpretations and\napplicability of Hose Rules,\u2019 both have viewed the law in a particular way.\nThey have contended that the \u2018…Law is\nAsinine.\u2019<\/strong> While they may have qualms over certain issues, both know that\nParliament intended no such interpretation. In spite of the public charade,\nboth have exhibited sufficient intelligence and intuitiveness to know when the\nlaw was made to be seen as absurdly ridiculous.<\/p>

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PERSPECTIVE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This\ncommentary looks at the dismissal of two serious indictments instituted by the\noffice of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) against a then serving\nmember of the Police Service. A Corporal, then assigned police prosecutorial\nduties at the Magistrate\u2019s Court, was in keeping with provisions contained in\nthe Police Act, with exercisable delegatory powers by the Commissioner of\nPolice [Section 31: Chapter 330]. There is also a \u2018…time immemorial\ninter-agency working relationship\u2019 with the office of the Director of Public\nProsecutions (DPP). Through his \u2018…Fiat,\u2019 a written one line letter advising to\nproceed with committal proceedings,\u2019 authority is delegated to police\nprosecutors to act on his behalf. These matters are neither within the\nprosecutorial competency of police prosecutors, nor the adjudicating\njurisdiction of Magistrates. <\/p>

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LAW OF ASINITY<\/strong><\/p>

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There\nmay be no doubt that human sexuality continues to provoke public outrage.\nEnacted laws intended to protect underage, innocent, vulnerable and\/or at-risk\nchildren from predators and pedophiles, appeared not to have the deterrent\neffect on those the legislation targets. The pillars of morality shook and the\nmoral fiber of society had snapped in 2016. It was not associated with seismic\nactivity of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that had flattened the\npoverty-stricken and disaster-prone Caribbean nation of Haiti [January 12,\n2010]. It was the result of a grave sexual act perpetrated against \u2018…a 13 year-old female by a 47 year-old police\nofficer, an agent of the State.\u2019 <\/strong>When the pillars shook again in 2018,\nthough incomparable to the magnitude 5.9 earthquake that had almost flattened\nthe northern tip of Haiti [CNN: October 7, 2018], the populace became\nmortified. They showed a spirit of unification, voicing their \u2018…dismay, disgust and dissatisfaction.\u2019<\/strong>\nThese came when the trial-free accused was released from the jurisdiction of\nthe Criminal Assizes [October 5, 2018]. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

EVIDENTIAL\nPREPARATION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While\n\u2018Dame Giselle and Sir Gerald\u2019 contended such asinity, it may have been\nmanifestly evident when Crown Counsel Shannon Jones-Gittens, clearly for\nreasons of expediency, reportedly caused a 15 year-old minor to present herself\nin open Court. She was simply required to say to a Judge, \u2018…After speaking with \u2018…my mother; …guardian; …Counselor and a\nCrown Counsel, I have decided to forgive the accused.\u2019 <\/strong>Likened to the\nmother and guardian, the other two people are considered \u2018…persons in\nauthority.\u2019 Dependent upon the state of mind and receptive attitude, they could\nalso wield positive or negative influence on \u2018…troubled minds.\u2019 Where a particular\ntrend of thought may have been expressed, they shall have been so persuasive as\nto influence a thought pattern that may have resulted in criminal prosecution\nof an accused that may have breached her trust and exploited her innocence.\nThis, invariably, has been the investigative thinking of most investigators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GRAVE\u2019YARDS –\nUDERTAKERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apart\nfrom the miraculous conception of the \u2018…Holy Virgin Mary\u2019 [Luke 1:31], in the\nsecular life of man, after copulation, fertile spermatozoa and whatever else nature\nmust do, a female is impregnated. If unplanned or unwanted, it had often been\nrumored that prospective mothers had visited \u2018…Back Room Operators<\/strong> to abort pregnancies.\u2019 Internationally\nknown, some medical facilities were said to have become \u2018…Grave Yards\u2019<\/strong> for unborn fetuses. Though not frequently, for\nsome criminal cases, some adjudicators may have been exploitatively used as \u2018…Undertakers,\u2019<\/strong> while the Judiciary\nappeared to have been disguisedly and expediently turned into \u2018…Grave Yards.\u2019<\/strong> These have been\ninternational phenomena. There were many instances in which reasonable\ninferences may have been drawn. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ABORTED CRIMINAL\nTRIAL<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\nthe instant case, the accused, a member of the Police Service and a former\nPolice prosecutor, was accused of \u2018…Kidnapping and having unlawful sexual\nintercourse with a minor. After a quick, futile, but short trek, he returned to\nbe charged, remanded and subsequently committed by the Magistracy to stand\ntrial at the September Criminal Assizes [2018]. He was indicted by the Crown\u2019s\nchief prosecutor, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). In the instant\ncase, likened to \u2018…an undeveloped fetus in an unwanted pregnancy, (a) …Before a Jury was empanelled; (b)\n…Before the Provost Marshall could read the indictments; and (iii) …Before\nthe accused could say \u2018…Not Guilty Your Lordship,\u2019<\/strong> a criminal trial had\nbeen aborted. There was clearly no pursuit of the legitimate mischief aimed by\nParliament and the underpinning rationale of the offence, in offering\nprotection to under age children from \u2018…sex predators, pedophiles and sexual\nexploitation.\u2019 Clearly not ignorant or innocent, Gender Affairs Minister\nSamantha Marshall appeared worried and unhappy over that which had transpired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

URGENT MATTERS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moved\nto anger, the nation had been clamoring for answers. Seeking to appease the\nmind of enraged citizens, a frightened political directorate appeared to have\nbeen impelled to place high on the Cabinet\u2019s agenda \u2018…Matters of urgent Public\nInterest.\u2019 A statement relayed through Chief of Staff Lionel \u2018Max\u2019 Hurst, seems\nreminiscent of the religious song \u2018…Gentle Jesus, meek and mild; …Look upon\na little child; …Pity my simplicity; …Suffer me to come to Thee; …Guard\nmy helpless innocence; …Sweetly ignorant of ill; …Innocent and happy still\u2019\n[Charles Wesley: 1707-1788]. Neither the incident nor statement appeared to\nhave brought happiness to members of the ministerial community. Likened to former\nGender Affairs Minister, Dr. Jacqui Quinn-Leandro after a T.N. Kirnon School\nstudent Jemuel Samuel 10, was brutally murdered [Caribbean 360: June 29, 2006],\nSamantha Marshall may also have unwittingly crossed the path of Director of\nPublic Prosecutions (DPP), Anthony Armstrong who had reportedly shrugged off her\ninquisitive intervention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ENABLING\nPROSECUTORIAL FACTORS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even\nafter committal, accused persons must be indicted by the DPP to stand trial\nbefore a Judge and a 12-member Jury. The most critical \u2018…Prosecutorial Factors\u2019<\/strong> are (i) …the preponderance of evidence\nshowing a realistic prospect of conviction; and (ii) …the interest of the\npublic, balancing it with that of victims of crimes.\u2019 Even so, the scales shall\ntilt more on the side that serves the public or common good. Though he may\nexercise a discretion and powers contained in the Constitution [1981: Section\n88], when a DPP indict, he would have been fully satisfied with the enabling\nfactors. His legal duty and prosecutorial responsibilities as his titular\nposition suggests are to the public, and not necessarily to those victimized by\ncriminals. As contained in the Constitution powers residing with a Director of\nPublic Prosecutions include; (a) …Institute and undertake criminal\nproceedings any person before the Court; (b) …Take over and continue any such\ncriminal proceedings; and (c) …Discontinue at any stage before judgement is\ndelivered any such criminal proceedings\u2019 [CO: 1981: Section 88].\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PARLIAMENTARY WISDOM<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In\ntheir \u2018…Parliamentary Wisdom,<\/strong>\u2019\nlegislators anticipated promiscuity in, and among children. They also\nanticipated that whether or not some had reached puberty, males would\n\u2018…sexually hound, abused and\/or subject them to exploitation. Categorizing\nthem as \u2018…vulnerable and at-risk,\u2019 they had conscientiously considered,\ndeliberately and purposefully created certain offences. These offences are\nsometimes committed against a person, while in some cases, they are not. For\ninstance, the \u2018…Unlawful possession of Firearms and as in the instant case,\n\u2018…Sexual intercourse with a female under 16 years\u2019 bear the same liability.\nThese are not only offences against the State, but also limit the discretionary\npowers of Crown prosecutors to that which serves the public\u2019s interests or\nwhere there was no preponderance of evidence, and shall prosecute when shown to\nhave a \u2018…realistic prospect of\nconviction.<\/strong>\u2019\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

ROD OF CORRECTION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike\nmany other offences, where \u2018…Mens Rea\u2019 or a guilty mind is the key evidential\nelement, conduct exhibited in which reasonable inferences may be drawn,\nstrictly speaks to \u2018…Strict Liability.\u2019\n<\/strong>Invariably, these are given dual mischief. In the instant case, mired in\ncontroversy, the State may not only have failed a then t13 year-old victim, but\nhad spared the alleged perpetrator the \u2018…Rod\nof Correction.\u2019<\/strong>\u00a0 The strict liability\nnature of the offence, warns that any man committing a sexual act with a female\nunder 14 or 16 years or any adult female committing a sexual act with a male\nperson under the age of 14 or under the age of 16; shall not only face the\ncriminal Court, but if convicted, shall be liable to institutional residency\nfor ten years [SOA: No.9 of 1995]. The State appeared to have neglected its\nresponsibility in placing one of its agents before a Judge and Jury. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

CONSCIOUS\nANTICIPATION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parliament\nanticipated that a sexual appetite, an uncontrollable desire and high\ntemperature may develop in man. Legislators anticipated that sex offenders may\nbe so overwhelmed for sexual pleasures and gratification that they may attack\nvictims and potential victims, regardless of age or sex. Thus, without\nconsideration to \u2018…age of responsibility, majority or maturity,\u2019 men would\nmost likely seek to ravish the vulnerable.\u2019 In \u2018…Conscious Anticipation,\u2019<\/strong> legislators, considering the need to\nprotect and punish sex offenders, enacted the \u2018…Sexual offences Act\u2019 [No. 9\nof 1995]. It was to be rigidly enforced against those who would violate its\nprovisions and accordingly, vigorously prosecuted. The Act was specifically\ncrafted for the protection of females of all ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

RAPE \/KINDRED\nOFFENCES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nLegislature also anticipated that some \u2018…hard tone men\u2019 [former House\nSpeakers D. Giselle Isaac], would be preying on their innocence and\nvulnerability and interfered with their chastity. Parliamentarians, looking\ninto the sexual behavior of future generations anticipated many acts of\nsexuality and apart from rape, created several kindred offences. They\nidentified and defined Incest and\nBuggery.\u2019<\/strong> They anticipated that men with uncontrollable sexual appetite may\nmake brazen attempt at fondling women and girls and thus, called such act \u2018…Indecent Assault.\u2019 <\/strong>The law makes it\nclear that \u2018…A person under the age of sixteen in law cannot give consent.\u2019\nIt defines the act as, \u2018…An assault accompanied by words or circumstances\nindicating an indecent intent.\u2019 Then there is the offence \u2018…Serious Indecency,\u2019<\/strong> when other than sexual intercourse, a person\nused his\/her genital for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SENTENCING PHILOSOPHY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Empathy;\n…expediency or sentimentality,\u2019 were never to be factored in considering\nwhether to prosecute and where convictions were obtained. The \u2018…Sentencing Philosophy\u2019<\/strong> of retired\nJustice Albert Redhead was often reflected in the severity of sentences imposed\n[SLO: …]. Expressing grave concern over \u2018…child sex abuse,\u2019 St. Lucia\u2019s\nDirector of Public Prosecutions Victoria Charles-Clarke acknowledged \u2018…We are\nin a critical situation\u2019 [SLO: July 10, 2014]. Infrequently, State agencies were\nsometimes seen as deviating from established procedures.\u2019 While circumstances\nmay influence such deviation, an agency runs the risk of incurring the wrath of\nthe public. The instant case involving an underage female and a male adult\nsupports such contention. There are two possibilities, either (i) …the\nwitness had been influenced or (ii) …those that interacted with her, whatever\nthe underlying motive, if any, she had exploited their simplicity or empathy to\ngood advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PECULIAR\nCIRCUMSTANCES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Incidentally,\nthe apparent \u2018…non-prosecutorial role\u2019 of the Crown Counsel speaks volume.\nSuch role contradicts the \u2018…Evidentially\nPreparedness\u2019<\/strong> of the main prosecution witness for trial. For the citizens,\nthe unexpected had happened. In rather \u2018…Peculiar\nCircumstances,\u2019<\/strong> the female victim of a sexual assault on her virginity was\nreportedly invited to the High Court of Justice. <\/strong>Though provisions were made to hear sexual cases in camera, she\nwas reportedly placed on the witness stand in open Court, not for the purpose\nof testifying against the male accused, but to apprised the jury-less Court of\neither a \u2018…voluntary; …influenced or coerced \u2018…non-prosecutorial decision\u2019<\/strong> [October 2, 2018]. Though there was\na significant disparity of age; …the accused was a person in authority; …the\nnature of the offence was grave, yet these appeared not to have been factored\nin considering the particular course of action. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PRE-TRIAL BRIEFINGS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

From\na prosecutorial perspective, due to lengthy delays for criminal trials and the\npassage of time, what obtained before trial on a fixed date were often \u2018…Pre-Trial Briefings.\u2019<\/strong> Witnesses are\ninterviewed and memory is refreshed on statement of facts pertinent to the\nparticular criminal acts; …accused persons under the jurisdiction of the\nCourt, whether remanded or bailed, are notified; …an array of jurors is\nsummoned; …a selection of twelve jurors is empanelled. Collectively, they\nhear the facts of the case, and then retire to make a determination of\n\u2018…innocence or guilt.\u2019 If there were any doubts about such contention,<\/strong> it may have been seen in the High\nCourt of Justice in which a \u2018…then 47 year-old police officer allegedly\nengaged in unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13 year-old female,\u2019 walked free.\nThe accused, fortuitously escaped criminal prosecutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SEXUALLY RAVISHED<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

An\nopportunity to have test or improve upon her prosecutorial skills may have\neluded Barbudan-born, British-trained attorney, Crown Counsel Shannon\nJones-Gittens. It was apparent that a \u2018…non-prosecutorial decision\u2019 had been\nleft to the determination of a then \u2018…Sexually\nRavished\u2019<\/strong> 13 year-old female student. The parties before the Court knew\nexactly what were to unfold. The victim has now attained the \u2018age of 15 years,\u2019<\/strong> while the sex\noffender has attained the \u2018age of 49\nyears.\u2019 <\/strong>Both victim and perpetrator reportedlystood stoically before a non-trial Judge. <\/strong>The citizenry had not the slightest inklin, but subsequently\nsensed the \u2018…unthinkable and the\nunbelievable; …the avoidable and inexcusable.\u2019<\/strong> The wrath of the nation\ninescapably descended upon the Court and victim. Prosecutorially, the\nproceedings were all over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PUBLIC OUTRAGE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given\nacute consideration to the gravity of the offences, may have been given a\npossible term of imprisonment, incarceration for 10 years. Such penalty not\nonly reflects deterrence and society\u2019s abhorrence of the sexual behavior of\nadults, but also the legislative intent in treating \u2018…penile penetration of\nunderage females\u2019 as among the gravest of sexual acts with the innocent and\nvulnerable. Such, has been the unmistakable mischief aimed by Parliament. Such\nhas always been among the protective societal considerations by public\nprosecutors. While the prosecutorial consciousness of Crown Counsel Shannon Jones-Gittens,<\/strong> appeared to have fallen\nasleep, that of the nation had been awakened. They were incensed over what may\nhave been a prosecutorial decision that resides only with the office of the\nDirector of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Their emotions had been stirred,\ntriggering the inevitable- \u2018…Public\nOutrage.\u2019<\/strong> Citizens strongly felt that the criminal justice system had not\nonly failed the victim, but also the potentially vulnerable females the law\nseek to protect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LITMUS TEST<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nmoral consciences of the people had been outraged by what appeared to have been\na disappointed end to pending criminal indictments against a law enforcement\nofficer. Reasonable inferences might be drawn that the case for the prosecution\nhad passed the \u2018…Litmus Test\u2019 for Jury trial. This is premised on three\nirrefutable facts; (i) …Prima facie evidence had led to the arrest; (ii) …a\npreponderance of evidence allowed for committal; and (iii) …Indictment of the\naccused suggested a realistic prospect of conviction.\u2019 Unfortunately, the\nprocedure followed and course of action taken, revealed an apparent deferment\nof a \u2018…Prosecutorial Decision\u2019 by the Crown Counsel. Not only did she exposed\nherself to public scrutiny, but also subjected the office of the Director of\nPublic Prosecutions (DPP) to ministerial query.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ADEQUATE ACCOUNT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With\nprofound dismay, when an alleged \u2018…sex\npredator and serving police officer\u2019<\/strong> walked freely away from the prisoners\ndock without facing a Jury, it was this apparent asinity that had provoked public\noutrage and incensed the Gaston Browne-led administration and Cabinet.\nTriggered by \u2018…an Outrageous Decision,<\/strong>\u2019\nits intensity had reverberated across the nation, and after-shocks in the\nCabinet of Antigua and Barbuda. It appeared that the Crown Counsel, Shannon\nJones-Gittens had not taken \u2018…Adequate\nAccount\u2019<\/strong> of\u2018…public interests\nand expectations.\u2019She may have unwittingly\nignored public reaction when the accused had fled the jurisdiction to avoid\napprehension and prosecution. She may also been unmindful of the public uproar\nand revocation of bail, when the accused allegedly sought to pervert the course\nof justice by visiting the Principal of a school to retrieve a cellular phone\nsuspected to have communication data with the victim prior to the incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CONCLUSION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Legislators\nanticipated that underage females might be \u2018…enticed; …induced; …lured;\n…procured or kidnapped and exploited to satisfy the \u2018…sexual urgings and\ndesires of pedophiles and\/or predators or for monetary extortion.\u2019 It\nanticipated that some may even run away from home, or may be recruited for sex\nrings or plotted schemes and exploited to \u2018…Extort\nMoney.\u2019<\/strong> A case in point was that of a convicted mother and a former police\nconstable, whose sexual scheme and exploitation of two young girls, resulted in\nprosecution and conviction. Both are currently serving custodial sentences of\nfour years and eighteen months respectively [ANR: October 25, 2017]. The\ninstant case suggested that the State may not only have been seen as derailing\nthe prosecutorial process, but also seemed to have perverted the course of justice.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

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\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0RAWLSTON POMPEY It has always been the contention of former House Speaker Dame D. Giselle Isaac and Queen\u2019s Counsel, Sir Gerald A. Watt KCN, that the law was either misinterpreted and\/or misapplied. They may have seen stranger things than fiction. Even so, it matters not if\u00a0 \u2018Dame Giselle\u2019 had likened \u2018Sir Gerald\u2019 to the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":14159,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-letters-to-the-editor"],"yoast_head":"\nCOMMENTARY: A Teenager's Decision - National Outrage - Antigua News Room<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/commentary-a-teenagers-decision-national-outrage\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"COMMENTARY: A Teenager's Decision - National Outrage\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0RAWLSTON POMPEY It has always been the contention of former House Speaker Dame D. Giselle Isaac and Queen\u2019s Counsel, Sir Gerald A. Watt KCN, that the law was either misinterpreted and\/or misapplied. They may have seen stranger things than fiction. Even so, it matters not if\u00a0 \u2018Dame Giselle\u2019 had likened \u2018Sir Gerald\u2019 to the […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/commentary-a-teenagers-decision-national-outrage\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Antigua News Room\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/antiguanewsroom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2018-10-09T12:09:34+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-10-09T14:34:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/pompey2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"432\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"288\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Editor\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@AntiguaNewsRoom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@AntiguaNewsRoom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Editor\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"16 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/commentary-a-teenagers-decision-national-outrage\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/commentary-a-teenagers-decision-national-outrage\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Editor\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#\/schema\/person\/36cac05ef6398fe56ae3e6317f8535c5\"},\"headline\":\"COMMENTARY: A Teenager’s Decision – National Outrage\",\"datePublished\":\"2018-10-09T12:09:34+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-10-09T14:34:22+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/commentary-a-teenagers-decision-national-outrage\/\"},\"wordCount\":3150,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/commentary-a-teenagers-decision-national-outrage\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/mlavawteztbj.i.optimole.com\/w:432\/h:288\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/04\/pompey2.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Letters to the editor\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/commentary-a-teenagers-decision-national-outrage\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/commentary-a-teenagers-decision-national-outrage\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/commentary-a-teenagers-decision-national-outrage\/\",\"name\":\"COMMENTARY: A Teenager's Decision - 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