EDITORIAL
Making the LA Colour Blind
Friday, June 4, 2004
Disagreement is nothing new between opposing sides in the Cayman Islands
Legislative Assembly, and many would even argue that political debate is the
main purpose of the Opposition.
Certainly the last few years have provided a plethora of important
debatable issues in the House as this country has found itself facing numerous
critical challenges.
Now, reports have reached Cayman Net News that there is another tempest
brewing in the Legislative Assembly, this time concerning the very building
where Members will gather to legislate and debate the future of the country.
With all the serious issues at hand with which to deal, we understand the
latest brouhaha centres on nothing less earth shattering than the colour of
the carpet in the renovated Legislative Assembly building.
It seems some feel that the green carpet was purposely chosen because it
represents an official colour of one of Cayman’s two political parties. As
such, we suppose that the objecting party feels that the choice of carpet
colour is an overt intimidation attempt, as if the presence of the colour
green on the floor could somehow subdue the resolve of the rival political
party.
Seemingly ignored in that scenario is the fact that legislators from both
parties will actually walk on the carpet, keeping it under their feet, which
in some cultures signifies a scornful act of disrespect.
Another possibility is that one party fears that having the colour of the
other party so prevalent in their sense of sight, it might work subliminally
to lure weaker-willed Members to trade sides, making them forget all of the
other divisive issues.
What the Members are not realising is that they will have a good excuse if
they ever regret their vote on a particular issue simply by saying “The carpet
made me do it!”
Since there is such animosity between Cayman’s two political parties
already, however, in the future it might be a good idea not to use colours
associated with either party. If children are not allowed to wear gang colours
to school, it stands to reason that Members should be barred from wearing
party colours into the neutral turf of the Legislative Assembly, and the
building itself should not reflect a preference to either party in its décor.
If that only leaves bright orange and mauve as usable colours, so be it,
for peace among our legislators is more important than pleasant appearances.
Maybe if the colour clash is bad enough, Legislative Assembly Members will
conduct their business that much more quickly because they will be in such a
hurry to leave the premises for something less grating to the eye.
But why should we stop at the Legislative Assembly? Maybe all government
buildings should come under a new colour code so that neither party can draw
inferences to favouritism. The Port Authority building in George Town might
have been sinfully ugly when it was battleship grey, but at least it promoted
fairness to all political parties.
Although non-Caribbean people seldom seem to know the difference between
pink and coral, it is reasonably safe to say that no political party will
embrace the latter colour, so every government building could have coral
carpets and coral walls to go with battleship grey exteriors. Government
employees, who make up a large segment of the electorate, would not then be
swayed by a predominance of any particular party’s colours.
One added benefit to such a collective colour scheme would be to save on
the costs of interior decorators, although that savings could be offset by
increased expense on mental health due to the deprivation of good taste.
Regardless, at least the legislators will then be able to concentrate on
the more serious business of the people now facing the Cayman Islands.
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