Rick Lowe

Xenophobia and Statistics are so very useful for political mischief making.

Few seem above using them in the most peculiar ways.

Messrs. McCartney and Dupuch recently attempted it where the haitian immigrants are concerned when suggesting that the FNM were handing out citizenship to solicit votes. However, the numbers released by the Government to date refute that. This might change of course but present numbers are germane, yet left out of the discussion.

And now Messrs. Pinder and other members of his political clique are doing the same with the employment (unemployment) data. Formulas that existed during their tenure as Government, if valid then, must be valid today? If they erred when in charge say so. Or are they suggesting the Civil Servants that compile this information are incompetent?

I wonder if these folks actually have policy prescriptions to solve the "problems" they cite or if symbolism remains the order of the day.

A friend reminded me recently, Shakespeare with his usual poignancy told us, "The devil himself can quote the Scriptures for his own purpose", so why would we be surprised when some in the political class use xenophobia and statistics for theirs?