The Dashboard Doggies

I recall the phenomenon of dashboard doggies when I was just a little child.  These plastic dashboard dogs, with the head attached to its body by a small swinging hook, would nod in agreement whenever the car is in motion. So whether you’re right or wrong, good, bad or indifferent, the dashboard doggie is agreeing with everything. Are we witnessing the scenario of having dashboard doggies in our Parliament, whereby members of the Lower and Upper Houses just nod in agreement to whatever is thrust under their noses without thought as to implications and possible repercussions of their actions?

When people are elected to Parliament to serve the public, it is because we entrust them with the responsibility to sit and think and make mature, sober judgment, decisions with sound and justifiable reasons on matters of national interest and importance. They are there to be more like guides not dashboard doggies.

If you are going the wrong way the dashboard doggie nods and agrees, whereas a good guide dog would indicate to you that you’re off-track and would lead you right. A dashboard doggie would do no such thing! For every wrong turn and wrong move you make, the dashboard doggies nod in agreement and give their support and approval.

Once you have dashboard doggies all around you, then you can do no wrong because everything you do, they will be in agreement with. They are of no real value, support or utility to you except to stroke and massage your ego and to flatter, fool and deceive you into thinking you’re the best boss and that you’re always right.

In the present Section 34 imbroglio, it is clear that some serious answers need to be given to the population, and chief amongst those who should come forward is the honourable and esteemed Justice Minister, whose chequered and colourful career as a government minister may be hanging in the balance on this one. He is known for his off-colour and off-the-cuff remarks, which he often makes in haste and has time to repent in leisure.

One remembers his injudicious remarks about the Chief Justice which he had to backpedal from as a result of the public outcry. Then he had his bright idea early upon assumption of office that he wanted sex for prisoners by facilitating conjugal visits. What a nice treat that would be for convicted sex offenders!

Another priceless gem from our Justice Minister was the idea of cable for prisoners. Members of the public were delighted at this news, thinking that at last some corporal punishment and flogging would be administered to hardened offenders. The hopes and joys of citizens were dashed when it was revealed that it was really cable television the goodly minister was trying to arrange for prisoners.

When he wanted the entire prisons service under the Justice Ministry, prisons officers made their views very clear about any such possible move from the authority and control of the Ministry of National Security. This idea was recorded as another Volneyism. His piece de resistance though, was the grand idea that in celebration of our 50 years of Independence that we should free 50 prisoners. Upon first hearing it I thought, how curious?

In a scenario of burgeoning and spiralling crime, one would have imagined that the appropriate gift to the nation would have been a promise to lock up 50 prisoners rather than freeing 50. By locking up an extra 50, we may have had less of the gore, violence and blood-letting which has marred and scarred our nation’s Independence celebrations. But our goodly Minister of Justice, in his typical gung-ho style, instead wanted to free 50 people for Independence.

Given the disastrous implications and consequences of the by now infamous Independence proclamation, with the much criticised Section 34, the questions will linger on to haunt the Justice Minister as to whether the Independence plan to free people was really designed to free 50 or was it really to free 52 in this nation of so many mimic men, sycophants, poseurs, jesters and dashboard doggies.