Tivoli Commission of Enquiry

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.