Dear Editor,
The West Kingston Commission of Enquiry has ended and the commissioners have published their 900-page report. I have not read the full report but have heard the summaries of the report as given in the media.
I followed the actual enquiry as much as possible and can only say that I disagree with the conclusions and some of the recommendations made by the learned commissioners.
I disagree that the Government should apologise to the residents of Tivoli Gardens because no one apologises for punishing those who willingly and knowingly aid and abet a known criminal who is seeking to evade trial.
I disagree that the Government should apologise for counter-attacking those who attacked and set fire to police stations — the recognised symbols of law and order in the nation.
I disagree that the Government should apologise to a community which set up barricades and imported an army of criminals from other communities to resist the lawful security forces of the nation.
I agree that excessive force may have been used to overcome those who were seeking to defend and hide a person now convicted, but what took place in Tivoli Gardens was “war” and what is excessive force in war?
I admit that the high loss of life was regrettable and that some may have been avoidable, but how can the loss of life be controlled when the State itself is attacked? The Tivoli Gardens insurgence was an attack against the state of Jamaica and a state has the right to defend itself, although there may be loss of life.
I fear that the conclusions of the commissioners, while undoubtedly pleasing to some, could be interpreted as a justification of crime, of community support to criminals, and a deterrent to the security forces to secure law and order in the nation. In fact, this report could lead to an intensification of criminal activity in a nation already infamous for crime.
Worse of all, this report could be viewed as the official sanctioning of evil not merely on an individual but on a community scale.
I fear that this report could also justify future actions of wicked people by awarding compensation for any loss which may be suffered because of their unrighteous actions.
This report could be indirectly saying that unrighteousness exalts a nation.
I pray that this report may be seriously reconsidered as it could have a very detrimental effect on the life of the nation.
Rev Earl Thames
Spalding PO, Clarendon
earlthames@yahoo.com
The West Kingston Commission of Enquiry has ended and the commissioners have published their 900-page report. I have not read the full report but have heard the summaries of the report as given in the media.
I followed the actual enquiry as much as possible and can only say that I disagree with the conclusions and some of the recommendations made by the learned commissioners.
I disagree that the Government should apologise to the residents of Tivoli Gardens because no one apologises for punishing those who willingly and knowingly aid and abet a known criminal who is seeking to evade trial.
I disagree that the Government should apologise for counter-attacking those who attacked and set fire to police stations — the recognised symbols of law and order in the nation.
I disagree that the Government should apologise to a community which set up barricades and imported an army of criminals from other communities to resist the lawful security forces of the nation.
I agree that excessive force may have been used to overcome those who were seeking to defend and hide a person now convicted, but what took place in Tivoli Gardens was “war” and what is excessive force in war?
I admit that the high loss of life was regrettable and that some may have been avoidable, but how can the loss of life be controlled when the State itself is attacked? The Tivoli Gardens insurgence was an attack against the state of Jamaica and a state has the right to defend itself, although there may be loss of life.
I fear that the conclusions of the commissioners, while undoubtedly pleasing to some, could be interpreted as a justification of crime, of community support to criminals, and a deterrent to the security forces to secure law and order in the nation. In fact, this report could lead to an intensification of criminal activity in a nation already infamous for crime.
Worse of all, this report could be viewed as the official sanctioning of evil not merely on an individual but on a community scale.
I fear that this report could also justify future actions of wicked people by awarding compensation for any loss which may be suffered because of their unrighteous actions.
This report could be indirectly saying that unrighteousness exalts a nation.
I pray that this report may be seriously reconsidered as it could have a very detrimental effect on the life of the nation.
Rev Earl Thames
Spalding PO, Clarendon
earlthames@yahoo.com