National Security Minister defends stance on area leader

[Lazie]

Friday, 19 December 2008

National Security Minister Colonel Trevor MacMillian is not backing away from his controversial suggestion of engaging area leaders in the fight against crime.

Colonel MacMillian was at pains to point out that these persons can be very useful in crime fighting once they are not wanted by the police.

Speaking Thursday in an exclusive interview with Dionne Jackson-Miller, he maintained his stance.

"If people think I have lost my mind, the fact of life is that if you have somebody who is a leader in the community, he is not wanted by the police, he has no convictions, he may be under suspicion but he is not in fact wanted by the police and that man has influence in the community, should we not talk to that person to get influence in the community,"

And Colonel MacMillian is scoffing at criticisms regarding his performance since assuming the post of Minister of National Security seven months ago.

Colonel MacMillian said several policies have been developed with increased resources for several areas of his Ministry.

He said while he will not commit to reducing the country's murder toll by a set percentage he is aiming to empower the police force to tackle the scourge of crime.

"What I'm not going to say is that I want to reduce murders by a percentage figure because until you control all the factors that impact on murder, you are pushing your neck a little too far. What I would like to see is that all the resources that are necessary for the police and other services for them to actually have them," said Colonel McMillian.

The entire Interview with Colonel MacMillian can be seen on Sunday's edition of "All Angles" on TVJ.

http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/14304/26/

[Hortical]

I wonder what New Yorkers would say if the NYPD had decided to chat to John Gotti to reduce crime. Criminal organizations managed by Dons should be destroyed.

[Historian]

I wonder what New Yorkers would say if the NYPD had decided to chat to John Gotti to reduce crime. Criminal organizations managed by Dons should be destroyed.

To be quite frank, although the vast majority of ministers of this present government have disappointed me tremendously, I believe that none had promised so much, and delivered so little, as Colonel MacMillan! I cannot even begin to explain how I feel about his lacklustre performance as national security minister!

The supreme irony is that this is the very man who was given so much accolades several years ago for his chairmanship of that famous crime commission!

[Lazie]

I wonder what New Yorkers would say if the NYPD had decided to chat to John Gotti to reduce crime. Criminal organizations managed by Dons should be destroyed.

You did see the quote where he made it clear that the person must not have any convictions nor be wanted by the police? If so, then the point about Gotti nuh relevant then.

[Lazie]

To be quite frank, although the vast majority of ministers of this present government have disappointed me tremendously, I believe that none had promised so much, and delivered so little, as Colonel MacMillan! I cannot even begin to explain how I feel about his lacklustre performance as national security minister!

The supreme irony is that this is the very man who was given so much accolades several years ago for his chairmanship of that famous crime commission!

I heard him being interviewed on NNN a few months ago and Cliff Hughes asked him why he isn't implementing his recommendations from a report he and his commission put together.

To my amazement and that of Cliff Hughes, the Minister went through a list of the recommendations that have been implemented and that is being implemented. Again another person knocked him for not making the public aware of what is being done. Maybe thats why for the past few weeks Ministers been addressing the nation.

[Assasin]

him need to get it out in the public domain.
Maybe as a soldier him not use to explaining.

[Historian]

I heard him being interviewed on NNN a few months ago and Cliff Hughes asked him why he isn't implementing his recommendations from a report he and his commission put together.

To my amazement and that of Cliff Hughes, the Minister went through a list of the recommendations that have been implemented and that is being implemented. Again another person knocked him for not making the public aware of what is being done. Maybe thats why for the past few weeks Ministers been addressing the nation.

What is sorely lacking is a serious, hard working public relations team for this government! When I think back to 1997 when the Reggae Boyz had qualified for France, the public relations effort that emanated from Jamaica during the period 1997-98 was very, very impressive, and very effective!!

I have never seen such successful marketing of any Jamaican entity before 1997 or since! That 1997-98 period shows, without a doubt, that Jamaicans have the capability and the capacity to market the positive things, but as in the case of this JLP administration, we have fallen short.

[Hortical]

Yuh think the path to becoming a Don is thru catholic school? The school of extortion and bribery is more likely.

[Lazie]

Yuh think the path to becoming a Don is thru catholic school? The school of extortion and bribery is more likely.

Is St. Georges a Catholic School?

[Yuttie]

yes.