Sunday 3 March 2013

A Real Tragedy

This past week we've had a couple of events in which the word "tragedy" has been used to describe it, first during speeches paying tribute to former Cllr Ewen Cameron at Full Council Thursday and then a day later after the conviction of Cllr Sandy Ezekiel for his various offences.

What happened to Ewen Cameron was definitely a tragedy and few would argue with that description. However, to describe the guilty verdict laid at Sandy Ezekiel as a tragedy, even if that is meant personally, is pushing it. For all the sense I've heard him say in the Chamber, he chose to mislead and manipulate and betray the public trust. Forget this notion of highest standards, this breached the most basic of them. If its an active choice then there's no tragedy about it. It's the price you must pay. 

As reported in the Gazette Friday, there are further investigations taking place, which is only to be expected after the verdict. Doesn't prove a thing in itself, so those people getting all excited about the possibility of another prosecution could find themselves disappointed. Its not a coincidence that Cllr Ian Driver has posted a slightly edited version of a near-decade old report into Pleasurama involving Ezekiel. Its curious that he omits a name but after his meeting with Council top dogs last week, it doesn't take a genius to work out why.