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Utterly ridiculous, Prime Minister
Friday, May 30, 2008
Unfortunately, the wave of shootings sweeping the island and the resultant heightened sense of fear are nothing new. We have been here before. And just as happened earlier this decade when criminals carried out brazen executions and openly defied the state's law enforcement institutions almost daily, we are today hearing political conspiracy theories in relation to the mindless madness.
At that time, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), that now forms the Government, was in Opposition and many supporters of the then People's National Party (PNP) administration were convinced that the killings had more than a political tinge.
Given our history of polarisation and politically-sponsored violence, very few Jamaicans doubted that claim, even as we all acknowledged that the politicians had, to a large degree, lost the significant influence they once had on the crime bosses and their gangs.
To be fair to the politicians, many of them have turned their faces hard against the thuggery and intolerance of opposing views displayed by some of their supporters.
Evidence of their commitment to changing the way we practise our politics was manifested in the last two general elections, which had seen considerable reductions in hostile and violent behaviour between supporters of both major political parties.
However, there still resides in both parties, people who, in their zeal to occupy political office, will foment violence, even as they try to portray themselves as the most pious among us.
Both the JLP and the PNP, we believe, have a duty to cleanse their ranks of these evil individuals whose real intention is to enrich themselves while denying ordinary Jamaicans the opportunity to enjoy a better standard of living.
Our pointing to the fact that this atmosphere of terror is not new to the country is not, in any way, to suggest that we should bury our heads in the sand and hope that the problem will go away quickly. It won't.
However, what we expect is that the Government, informed by the results of previous strategies, will formulate credible policies to stem the tide of crime and violence that is now gripping the country.
In that regard, we find absolutely ridiculous, Prime Minister Bruce Golding's attempt on his radio show Wednesday night to absolve his administration of the responsibility to see to the creation of measures to fight this monster.
For even as he pointed to the law that clearly sets out the roles of the executive and the police high command, the political directorate cannot be excluded from the overall liability of providing the country with security.
And that, we know, is not a responsibility that is lost on Mr Golding, for it was his party, in its manifesto for the September 2007 general elections, which declared that making the nation safe and secure was their "most urgent priority".
In fact, some of what the JLP presented in that manifesto are elements of a crime plan formatted by Colonel Trevor MacMillan, and commissioned by Mr Golding when he was the opposition leader.
Many of the measures in Col MacMillan's plan, we believe, can produce tangible results and now that Col MacMillan is the new national security minister, Mr Golding has an opportunity to implement those strategies that will most likely bear fruit quickly.
In case you forgot, Mr Golding, you were elected to lead.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Unfortunately, the wave of shootings sweeping the island and the resultant heightened sense of fear are nothing new. We have been here before. And just as happened earlier this decade when criminals carried out brazen executions and openly defied the state's law enforcement institutions almost daily, we are today hearing political conspiracy theories in relation to the mindless madness.
At that time, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), that now forms the Government, was in Opposition and many supporters of the then People's National Party (PNP) administration were convinced that the killings had more than a political tinge.
Given our history of polarisation and politically-sponsored violence, very few Jamaicans doubted that claim, even as we all acknowledged that the politicians had, to a large degree, lost the significant influence they once had on the crime bosses and their gangs.
To be fair to the politicians, many of them have turned their faces hard against the thuggery and intolerance of opposing views displayed by some of their supporters.
Evidence of their commitment to changing the way we practise our politics was manifested in the last two general elections, which had seen considerable reductions in hostile and violent behaviour between supporters of both major political parties.
However, there still resides in both parties, people who, in their zeal to occupy political office, will foment violence, even as they try to portray themselves as the most pious among us.
Both the JLP and the PNP, we believe, have a duty to cleanse their ranks of these evil individuals whose real intention is to enrich themselves while denying ordinary Jamaicans the opportunity to enjoy a better standard of living.
Our pointing to the fact that this atmosphere of terror is not new to the country is not, in any way, to suggest that we should bury our heads in the sand and hope that the problem will go away quickly. It won't.
However, what we expect is that the Government, informed by the results of previous strategies, will formulate credible policies to stem the tide of crime and violence that is now gripping the country.
In that regard, we find absolutely ridiculous, Prime Minister Bruce Golding's attempt on his radio show Wednesday night to absolve his administration of the responsibility to see to the creation of measures to fight this monster.
For even as he pointed to the law that clearly sets out the roles of the executive and the police high command, the political directorate cannot be excluded from the overall liability of providing the country with security.
And that, we know, is not a responsibility that is lost on Mr Golding, for it was his party, in its manifesto for the September 2007 general elections, which declared that making the nation safe and secure was their "most urgent priority".
In fact, some of what the JLP presented in that manifesto are elements of a crime plan formatted by Colonel Trevor MacMillan, and commissioned by Mr Golding when he was the opposition leader.
Many of the measures in Col MacMillan's plan, we believe, can produce tangible results and now that Col MacMillan is the new national security minister, Mr Golding has an opportunity to implement those strategies that will most likely bear fruit quickly.
In case you forgot, Mr Golding, you were elected to lead.
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