The
rebroadcast of the Tivoli Gardens Commission of Enquiry is an eye opener that shows
a distrust and disassociation between two classes of people. On one hand, the
commission includes attorneys whose only
interest is their own agenda of discrediting the statements of residents in this
publicized forum. Then, there are the affected residents of Tivoli Gardens who
are trying to defend their statements as best as they can. The problem is not
only the way in which the attorneys pose their questions but also the condescending
manner in badgering the residents if answers are not provided to the attorney’s
satisfaction. The effect is that the residents quickly become annoyed since
they realize that the attorneys’ disregard of their responses indicates a
disinterest in their terrifying experiences. Of course, this disinterest causes
not only frustration, but also some residents become uncomfortable and
negatively react which in some cases becomes uncontrollable. But then again, the arrogant attitude of some
of these attorneys and persons within
the Jamaican society stems from their daily practices of ensuring separation from
the masses such as providing and using separate lunch room facilities in the
workplace, etc. Nevertheless, it is more important for the commission to realize
that these residents of Tivoli Gardens only want to be heard and not spoken
down to. The residents need to be treated with respect.
