Straighten up and dress right

Barbars Gloudon

Friday, February 10, 2012

WARMY IS IN FULL FLIGHT. Having called us to contemplate the continuing relevance of the post of political ombudsman, he has turned to the matter of a dress code for Parliament. His focus is on the male of the species. As one who favours the carefully co-ordinated shirt, tie, pocket kerchief and all that, "Warmy", aka Everald Warmington, member of parliament (JLP) for South West St Catherine, wants attention to be turned to the appropriateness of dress in the hallowed halls of Gordon House.

Leader of Government Business in the House, Minister of Mining, Energy and ICT Phillip Paulwell, a sharp dresser himself, joined in the debate, striking a gender-appropriate note when he carefully avoided entangling the women in the fashion debate. Our man "Warmy", however, had a view too, hence in these days of gender equality, it might just be a matter of time that we call the fairer sex into the salon. In any case, the ladies of the House have all tended to dress attractively but with sobriety, so we don't have to worry about them, for now, at least.

Our first woman Prime Minister specialises in crisp business suits with long sleeves, no matter the weather. Other women, on both sides of the aisle, also go in for elegant but sober grooming. "Pops" of colour turn up to enliven the scene, but on the whole, there is no trend to unbecoming excess. Reference was made to Erskine May's Treatise on the Law, Privileges, Proceedings and Usage of Parliament first published in 1844 for use in the British Parliament. It is now familiarly known as "May's" and is regarded as the bible of parliaments in countries which operate under the Westminster model.

Because we insist on clinging to Mama England's coattails, it is this imported code by which our parliamentarians are supposed to live. Its contents include the admonition that anyone coming into the precincts of the House, be they elected personnel who come to do the nation's work, or visitors who come to see what prevails, should be clad with jacket and tie. It doesn't mention the poor and jacketless who might want to hear "whatta gwaan".

No mention is made of female garb. I assume that Up There in England Mr Erskine May back then in 1844, did not envision the fairer sex, not only finding their way into the visitors' gallery but daring to win seats and take their place on what is quaintly called "the floor of the House". (No, chile, you don't sit on the floor. Bad fi bad, no matter how wi bruck, we can still afford chairs.) Anyhow, to our current scene.

Minister Paulwell is quoted as saying that our women members should be enabled to make their own decision on what to wear. Frankly, I think the discussion is a waste of time, especially now when we have so many more matters of urgency to consider. There is no need for women parliamentarians to be discussing any dress code. Anyone can see that the women who have taken their place in our Parliament over the years, have had the good sense to present themselves in an appropriate manner. They have no need of regimented uniforms.

In the event that one of them was to lose her mind, however, and go to Parliament clad in cut-off shorts and merino top, we can depend on the people to give prompt approval to cart her off for a psychiatric examination. And what if some woman was to decide she would wear nothing but green and another turn up in orange every day to denote the location of their ideological philosophy, so what? Some people still have their left-over colours. They could be put to less noble use. But, let me remind you again, sirs, dress is the last thing on people's minds right now. With a hole in the bucket of the budget, trust me, nobody has time to consider cut of jacket and style of skirt.

The sartorial reference in May's Parliamentary Practice (as some call it), says: "Members are not permitted to wear decorations in the House. The wearing of military insignia or uniform inside the Chamber is not in accordance with the long-established custom of the House". It brings up the jacket and tie business but makes no mention of trousers, but we assume that that is taken as a given, unless you want to start an argument about jeans, the uniform of today's people. What would May say about a good-fitting pair of jeans? Wouldn't that do much better than the saggy, baggy, old polyester pantaloons? Granted we're talking about designer jeans, and our tongue will not be drawn as to which MPs should stay out of this story, musculature being considered and all!

FOR ANYBODY TOO YOUNG to remember beyond last week, there was a time, children, when parliamentary fashion for the men became a serious national issue. It was during the Michael Manley era, round about 1972, that he made the revolutionary decision to give up his Establishment suit and tie for the simple, short-sleeved shirt jacket and trousers worn by African statesmen, among them Julius Nyrere of Tanzania and the Nehru jackets, made fashionable by the iconic Indian statesman whose name became synonymous with the style.

Many Jamaican men gladly surrendered the stifling jacket and tie in which they had sweated for decades and settled for the Kareeba. When the Manley age ended, the short-sleeved shirt jacket and matching pants, by then regarded as Socialist garb, went out of style too. Mr Manley himself went back to jacket and tie. In Parliament, until recently, only the late "Danny Buck" (Buchanan) remained faithful to the Kareeba to his very end.

We are made to understand that at the heart of the discussion of recent days is the attire of some visitors to the House. "Warmy's" complaint is against the sloppiness and inappropriateness of some prevailing fashion trends, to the point of being offensive. He is insisting that if he, as a parliamentarian, is required to dress "properly", then visitors should be made to do likewise. Beat-up jeans, stretch-out T-shirts and other sloppiness should not be permitted.

I do agree that if we want to keep track of the nation's business we should demonstrate personal pride in the way we carry ourselves, man, woman and pickney, but take care not to lock out anyone who cannot afford to dress up. If a parliamentary dress code is what we really need, then let it be within the reach of the average citizen. Note well that whatever is worn, personal discipline is even more important. From visitors' gallery to floor of the House, all will eventually be judged by what is said and what is done, more than what is worn on back. If citizens come to respect the value of our Parliament, I bet you it wouldn't be necessary to worry about appropriate dress.

gloudonb@yahoo.com

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Straighten up and dress right