Dear Editor,
His Excellency the Governor General of Jamaica Patrick Allen has, in his recent Independence message, called on all Jamaicans to "urgently join forces against crime and violence which stalk our land... end the culture of silence, and help bring perpetrators to justice". It is particularly appropriate as the upsurge in crime and violence continues unabated. Furthermore, there is very little indication as to just how we are going to bring it under control and return our country to some semblance of law and order.
We should all now rally to His Excellency's call. We need to secure our own survival and our country's future. But how are we going to give momentum to this initiative for change? Are our suggestions going to be taken into consideration and treated with confidence and respect? Who can we trust with information we have or might come up with? Should we trust our police and leaders? They have certainly made it difficult for us to believe in them.
I think the nature of the majority of humankind is selfish. One's preservation appears to have precedence over that of one's neighbours, and self-interest seems to outweigh the factors that lead to the greater good of the community and country. So yes, we might have information on gangs and gang members, for instance, but with whom do we entrust that information without the high probability of compromising our own safety and security? Certainly not our police, as they daily fail the trust test.
In 2011, according to a Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) report, there were 200 gangs in Jamaica. It doesn't appear that between that report and 2014 that there has been much progress in reducing the number, as it is reported that there are now well over 300. In January 2015, the JCF told us that some 500 people would be charged under the new anti-gang legislation. Up to July, however, only 27 people had been arrested in relation to gang activity. How many of those 27 have been tried and found guilty of anything to date, and are they still languishing in jail or before the courts? Isn't there something very wrong here? Or is it just guesswork?
So, for me, and I suspect others, to "join forces against crime and violence that stalk our land" there has to be mutual respect and trust. The State has to tidy up its act by restoring credibility before you will ever get an understandably dubious public on board.
Colonel Allan Douglas
Kingston 10
alldouglas@aol.com
Restore credibility to JCF
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His Excellency the Governor General of Jamaica Patrick Allen has, in his recent Independence message, called on all Jamaicans to "urgently join forces against crime and violence which stalk our land... end the culture of silence, and help bring perpetrators to justice". It is particularly appropriate as the upsurge in crime and violence continues unabated. Furthermore, there is very little indication as to just how we are going to bring it under control and return our country to some semblance of law and order.
We should all now rally to His Excellency's call. We need to secure our own survival and our country's future. But how are we going to give momentum to this initiative for change? Are our suggestions going to be taken into consideration and treated with confidence and respect? Who can we trust with information we have or might come up with? Should we trust our police and leaders? They have certainly made it difficult for us to believe in them.
I think the nature of the majority of humankind is selfish. One's preservation appears to have precedence over that of one's neighbours, and self-interest seems to outweigh the factors that lead to the greater good of the community and country. So yes, we might have information on gangs and gang members, for instance, but with whom do we entrust that information without the high probability of compromising our own safety and security? Certainly not our police, as they daily fail the trust test.
In 2011, according to a Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) report, there were 200 gangs in Jamaica. It doesn't appear that between that report and 2014 that there has been much progress in reducing the number, as it is reported that there are now well over 300. In January 2015, the JCF told us that some 500 people would be charged under the new anti-gang legislation. Up to July, however, only 27 people had been arrested in relation to gang activity. How many of those 27 have been tried and found guilty of anything to date, and are they still languishing in jail or before the courts? Isn't there something very wrong here? Or is it just guesswork?
So, for me, and I suspect others, to "join forces against crime and violence that stalk our land" there has to be mutual respect and trust. The State has to tidy up its act by restoring credibility before you will ever get an understandably dubious public on board.
Colonel Allan Douglas
Kingston 10
alldouglas@aol.com
Restore credibility to JCF
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