Lies, statistics Arvind Mani , Nadi
FBC TV’s 4 The Record programme last night was a comedy of errors by National Federation Party stooge, Kamal Iyer. A stooge is “a person who is forced or paid by someone in authority to do an unpleasant or secret job for them.” In this context the “someone in authority” is Biman Prasad who declined to attend.
Mr Iyer was obviously unprepared and, consequently, quite nervous. He seemed like a sacrificial lamb sent to the slaughterhouse than a candidate promoting his party’s manifesto.
He was unintentionally entertaining and barely enlightening.
I think die-hard NFP supporters were cringing and wringing their hands at his dismal performance and those sitting on the fence would now lean towards FijiFirst because the only thing Mr Iyer was consistent about was the inconsistency of his party’s stand on many issues. They have three different figures on minimum wage and Mr Iyer made the lame excuse that he cannot speak for the other candidates, just the leader!
I was very disappointed at his lack of professionalism – he used the word ‘bullshit’ twice and kept talking over the general secretary of FijiFirst Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. It would have been a gracious gesture if he had apologised for using a profanity twice and the hosts should have taken him to task for it. He also needs to have a better understanding of the English language. When Mr Sayed-Khaiyum had once accused Mr Prasad in Parliament of political impotence because of his soft stance on egregious comments made by some Opposition Parliamentarian, Mr Iyer construed that as physical impotence. As to how Mr Sayed-Khaiyum would have known that is beyond me.
Mr Iyer also used a rather interesting phrase – the General Secretary of FijiFirst was ‘lying through the skin of his teeth’. The correct expression is ‘lying through his teeth’.
As my high school English teacher taught us, “By the skin of one’s teeth” means nearly or barely as in the sentence, He escaped from the lion by the skin of his teeth. I would like to think that our politicians can speak better English than the clown in the White House.
Mr Iyer came up with some wild figures (he made the accusation that two hardware store owners made $70 million from Cyclone Winston).
He made claims the NFP can convert the TELS loan into grants, pay $100 per tonne for sugar cane and $5 as minimum wage. When he was asked repeatedly where the money was going to come from, he had no clue.
And it would have been better if Mr Iyer was addressed as Mr Iyer and not just Kamal by Indra Singh.
The other host, Geraldine Sen has this very obnoxious habit of interrupting the guests when they are talking for which she has been chastised by previous guests but has not learnt her lesson. Perhaps it is time for a new host who has good active listening skills. Both the hosts need to show respect, control the tone of the debate and maintain a sense of decorum.
I long for the days when politicians were statesmen, had charisma and dignity, when they were eloquent and witty and you looked forward to be dazzled by their brilliance and not baffled by their BS as is so common these days. Which reminds me of what Will Rogers said so wisely: “Suppose you were an idiot and suppose you were a politician but I repeat myself.”