When one hear the word diplomat, it conger up in one’s mind: diplomacy, which is the professional activities and or skills of managing international relationships and relations. Anyone who holds the status of a diplomat, should be good at and creating opportunities for forming relationships and keeping those relationships in good standing. And when there is trouble, the diplomat knows who best to smooth over the bad things and get the anger person's anger abated and resolve the problems that may destroy the good relationship. However, this is not so for St. Vincent and the Grenadines diplomats.
Something is truly wrong with the selection process and the criteria that is currently in use by the bureaucratic core (Ralph E. Gonsalves) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. For too often have the Diplomats that are called up to represent St. Vincent and the Grenadines in an official capacity have been messing up big time. The latest one was Sehon Marshall who was responsible for physically abusing his wife, a lesson, this not so young man, have not learn at the age 43 plus years old.
Let me share a personal experience with you, and at the same time extend a thank you to Mr. Donald “Don” De Riggs. I can remember, the incident like it was yesterday, I was twelve years old and a form two student at the Intermediate High School, The form teacher was Mr. De Riggs. Next to me was seated a class mate by the name of Rhonda Gabriel, Rhonda was as beautiful as they came. Rhonda and I got along quite well. However on this faithful day, there was a riff in our friendship. I cannot remember what Rhonda did to me that triggered my angry at her, however, as a result, I held her left hand, I turned her hand around where her knuckles were facing me; and I took my clenched fist and struck the back of my hand three times. This made Rhonda cried. The matter was reported and the class teacher Mr. Donald "Don" De Riggs came to the class room to deal with the incident.
He inquired about what had happened, and he got stories about what occurred from Rhonda, other class members and I. As a result Mr. De Riggs took me outside and like a father would a son, taught me a lesson, I have never forgot, that lesson become and remained a part of the set of principles I practice today. Before I go into the life lesson that I have shared with many other men, in my capacity of a police dealing with domestic disputes; I will explain my relationship with the man I still respectfully call Mr. De Riggs.
Mr. De Riggs was a slim light skin fellow, who in his younger days, often sport a affro hair style. He was a part of the black power movement and one of the founding members of the radical political black power group Yulemo. This group meeting place was in what was the John's residence. Of all the members of the group, my father, the late Hamilton Palmer developed a friendly adversarial relationship with Mr. De Riggs; where he will heckle Mr. De Riggs about his shade of black. He will say to Mr. De Riggs how can you be a black power and you are white and things like that. Mr. De Riggs always respectfully held his own in defense of his blackness with a smile on his face. Mr. De Riggs was also into Karate and had taken Karate instruction from my big brother Val “Nazi” Palmer, who was one of the leading Katatekan in St. Vincent and the Grenadines back then.
While outside of the class room, Mr. De Riggs told me of the seriousness of the offence I committed, then he explained in details something, I had often heard my father said but I never understood what it meant. Donald De Riggs told me that a woman is the weaker vessel, and it was my duty as a man to protect all women. Then he said to me, how you would feel if a man fight your sister and he call each of their names, and made them cry in the same way you did Rhonda, would you like it he asked. My response was no. He continued, if you do not like that for your sisters then you should not do it to anyone's sister. Mr. De Riggs was careful not to use my mother as an example, because she had died some five years earlier.
He then told me my hands are to be used as a tool to love and should be used to express love to my sisters and my friends as well as, an instrument of protection to protect my sisters, my girlfriends and any woman that is in danger. In response to a question I asked about threat pose by a female; Don further said; if there is ever such a threat, never use a clench fist against a woman but your open hands and you should only use enough force to prevent injury to yourself and to restrain the female aggressor, if it came to that.
He further said, when you get older and you are in a relationship with a woman, and that person get you so angry, to the point where you become overwhelmed and want to strike her in anger; then it is time to walk away from that person and the relationship; because that behavior will only get worse, and the persistent aggravation, may cause you to snap out of extreme anger, and you may just be move to strike that person in anger. I literally bought into and followed Mr. De Riggs advice verbatim and still do even today. As I grew older in age and in experience, I was able to fully contextualize everything Teacher De Riggs told me in that one lecture.
Unfortunately, for St. Vincent and the Grenadine diplomat: Sehon Marshall, the lessons that I was fortunate to learn at the age of twelve years old; he had not learn as a grown man almost fifty years old. Like those political hacks who were appointed as diplomat before him, I speak of Camillo Gonsalves who was arrested in New York, but was soon set free after his diplomatic status was made known, Sexy Pastor: the rouge Seventh Day Adventist Pastor: Edson Augustus who was recalled for crimes of defrauding poor, struggling, Vincentians who resides illegally in the USA and who were desperate for the opportunity to live and work in that country legally. They buy into Augustus’ promise to help them achieve the same by paying large sum of monies for the privilege of secure a Green Card.
However Diplomat Sehon Marshall on the other hand, took Diplomatic criminality to a whole new level; when the NYPD had just and lawful reason to visited his home, to address a violent incident of battery, of which the diplomat was the aggressor. Unfortunately for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the victim was not a violent intruder, who had broken into the Marshall’s dwelling place; but the victim was his wife: the mother of his children, the woman with whom he share his marital bed. This small build young lady sustained a lacerated lip and an injured left hand. It is alleged that diplomat Marshall, hit his wife in anger; slugging her, in her face using a clenched fist, as a man would do to a male adversary he is in a fight with. One of De Riggs Rules was, never use a clenched fist on a woman, but to use just enough force to avoid injury to yourself and to restrain the person if the incident so requires.
Because of Marshall diplomatic immunity, the responding members of the NYPD did not have the authority to arrest or press charges against Marshall. This led me to ask some very critical question. Knowing the laid back nature of Vincentian woman in the face of verbal, physical and even sexual abuses; and the fact that from my experience growing up and living in the Vincentian community for most of my life, and dealing with many domestic dispute of all degree in my capacity as a police officer. It is a known and established fact that Vincentian woman, only call the police when she had been a victim for far too long and she have had enough. My questions are
1. How long has Diplomat Marshall been physically abusing his wife, since he have taken up duties in his diplomatic portfolio.
2. Was Mrs. Marshall a victim of Physical abuse at the hand of her husband in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and did Sehon Marshall benefit from political affiliation immunity?
3. Was the Marshall’s children awake at the time of the incident and did they witnessed the violent tirade their father unleash against their mother?
4. How is this experience going to impact the Marshall three children?
According to reports from, diplomat Marshall’s neighbors, Sehon Marshall have been a poor neighbor, he refuse to speak to his neighbors, it is asking to much of him, for them (his neighbors) to expect him to extend a friendly tidings; of good morning to the people with whom he share a building. It is also reported by his neighbors that he (Diplomat Marshall) is very inconsiderate and will selfishly block the driveway with his car preventing neighbors from entering and exiting the said premises. Sehon Marshall had been a poor ambassador in representing St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the members of the Brooklyn community where in he lived. This is surely not the Vincentian spirit of warmth and friendship that we have a habit and a history of.
I guess none of Sehon’s Neighbors will be going on a trip to St. Vincent and the Grenadines because of his unforgettable kindness, friendly personality and personal influence. Sehon’s Neighbors should have been seeking out and patronizing Vincentian businesses in New York if he was good at his job. Because the office of a diplomat is not to go into an office but to be a salesman an ambassador to everyone you meet.
When I am confronted with the question: "did you expected anything better from St. Vincent and the Grenadines Diplomats. I look to the fact that their leader and Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines has been the subject of countless allegations of illegal activities that includes but is not limited to rape, murder, money laundering, preparing and using counterfeit currencies, drugs smuggling, elections fraud, Gerrymandering, elections theft and a wide range of corruption in public office allegations. Allegations for which there is a preponderance of evidence to gain a conviction if they are ever taken before the court.
I did not expect anything better from Seahon Marshall, Camillo Gonsalves and Edson Augustas. In Camillo’s case the proverbs the apple don’t fall to far from the tree, In in Marshall and Augustus’ case: birds of a feather flock together. So no I did not expect anything better from those diplomats; just take a look at who they are led by.
No comments:
Post a Comment