Ken Chaplin's column of January 15, 2008

Ken Chaplin had a column earlier this week on January 15, 2008, that did little more than compound his earlier misrepresentation of the issues concerning the PSC and the AG's Chambers. http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/columns/html/20080114T190000-0500_131395_OBS_WHAT_S_GOING_ON_IN_AG_S_DEPT__.asp




For me, it is quite sad to see a journalist of Ken Chaplin's reputation and experience deliberately choosing misinformation and distortion over facts and analysis. He cannot claim ignorance; certainly I have been at pains to write him twice to point out his errors of fact, law, and logic. I can only infer that Ken Chaplin has an agenda that excludes any reference to 'inconvenient truths'.

Happily, D.S. Morgan has firmly rebutted Chaplin's latest attack on the lawyers of the AG's Chambers.

A week or two ago, the Faqurharson Institute led by Frank Phipps and Ken Jones, called for an inquiry into the operations of the AG's Chambers. Much of what they have publicly represented appears to be reflected in Chaplin's articles. Much as I am not generally given to conspiracy theories, I wonder whether Chaplin is simply the mouthpiece of the Farquharson Institute. I spoke with Chaplin briefly last week, when I faxed him my note of January 10. His first question to me was whether I was "holding brief" for the PSC or Stephen Vasciannie or both. That question, in retrospect, appears to have been quite autobiographical. Despite my record of taking principled positions on public issues, Ken's starting assumption was that I am representing a particular interest, rather than simply standing up for principle. Clearly, if that is his modus operandi, then I can understand his difficulty in understanding mine.

Regrettably, Ken Chaplin's views (and indeed those of the Farq Institute) have gained some traction in public discourse. This is hardly surprising, given the general apathy to critical thinking.