The Tribune

By Inigo ‘Naughty’ zenicazelaya

Despite the cold weather earlier in the week, the air was unbearably hot in certain political arenas.

The actions and resulting comments of “newbie” Free National Movement Senator Lanisha Rolle caused some eyes to roll, mouths to hang agape, tongues to wag and a collective sigh from the party faithful who just want an immediate cease fire.

Speaking of fire, I’m pretty sure that when Dr Minnis talks about handing the torch to the next generation it’s not with the intention to have them turn and burn their team mates up Anakin Skywalker style.

Yet that is precisely what happened this week.

Discretion is

the better part of valour

I am all for youthful leadership in this country. We need more bright minds to move to the forefront.

And where would a comedian like myself be if it were not for freedom of speech guaranteed by our constitution?

So far, I have been slightly impressed (but definitely amused) by the new batch of young, brash politicians who have come onto the scene.

Thanks to politicos on both sides of the aisle (and I mean that literally) we’ve gotten little gems like “the Emperor is naked” and hard truths like “moves and counter-moves”.

However there is a time and place for everything. Sadly, this must have slipped the mind of Senator Rolle.

Obviously caught up in the moment, the senator called into a talk show and fired direct shots at certain sitting Opposition MPs (yes her fellow FNM colleagues) in an attempt to defend her party leader.

Just for the record, if you’re a politician and the your first impulse to get your point across is to call up a talk show and lambast your perceived nemesis ‘off the cuff’ then you’re not doing your homework. And you’re not ready for the big leagues.

The reality is that politics is about gamesmanship. And in this country (with the likes of Progressive Liberal Party chairman Bradley Roberts’ never ending bombardments) it can degenerate into a bloodsport at times.

I wasn’t particularly shocked to hear Senator Rolle’s blunt opinion of some of her parliamentary colleagues. I was surprised she would say that her elected party colleagues are “holding seats for now” while failing to recognise not a single electoral vote has ever been cast in her name.

Oh, the force is weak with young Padawan Rolle.

If the FNM is honest, they will acknowledge that (as stated by Senator Lanisha Rolle) the infighting does have shades of Obama vs. Clinton ‘08.

But let’s not forget another notorious politician that emerged during that election season: Sarah Palin.

With her gaffes about the present government borrowing $6 billion (it was $1.6 billion) and President Obama being the “leader of the opposition” Senator Rolle has unwittingly cast herself as the “novice from nowhere”. A la the Bahamian Sarah Palin.

I’m half expecting the senator to say she can see Haiti from her house!

My best advice for the FNM is to listen to Dr Duane Sands who admonished his party members to de-escalate tensions. The more the internal plotting, back-stabbing and blindsiding continues the stronger the “Empire” grows.

There are many young politicians who are over-anxious about beginning the campaign season in earnest but in the words of Yoda “learn first you must, put foot in mouth you must not”.

With that said, I hope Senator Rolle is a quick study. If all else fails watching a few seasons of Netflix’s “House of Cards” should do the trick. Barring that, silence is the next best option.

Choose your words wisely, Senator Rolle. And may the force be with you.

• Inigo ‘Naughty’ Zenicazelaya is the resident stand-up comic at Jokers Wild Comedy Club at the Atlantis, Paradise Island, resort and presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday, and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm on KISS FM 96.1. He also writes a sports column in The Tribune on Tuesday. Comments and questions to naughty@tribunemedia.net.