Too many things not working in Ja
Dear Editor,
Every time I visit my beloved country, Jamaica, I’m more convinced that it has become a failed State. It is very painful for me to say this, and I may be wrong, but nothing seems to be working right in the country.
There has been a complete breakdown in law and order. Both political parties take turns in mismanaging the country and its economy by mostly selling the country’s assets to foreign interests for a song and a dance, while wasting the country’s meagre resources — the latest being the former Oceana hotel deal in downtown Kingston, prime waterfront real estate. The Government could have bought it, renovated it, and housed ministries, rather than pay exorbitant rent for uptown buildings.
The roads are in atrocious condition; there’s a Road Maintenance Fund in place from the gasolene tax, but does anyone see any meaningful roadwork going on? There has been a lot of talk about the development of downtown Kingston, but that is just it, talk and no action. The Government of the day should lead the way by relocating all government ministries in proximity to the parliament, as well as the police commissioner’s office.
No country can talk about prosperity without safety, and by all indications the country is definitely not safe. Over 100 people have been murdered in since the start of the year, with no let-up in sight. There have been no repercussions — just talk. No arrests made, no accountability — go figure!
Furthermore, crime shouldn’t be used as a political football by either side. The biggest mistake that Prime Minister Andrew Holness made was trying to politicise crime by saying that the country would be safer under his regime. Who was he kidding? Some members of the Diaspora are scared to come home, fearing that they might be targeted.
In all fairness, the present minister of national security shouldn’t be blamed exclusively for the crime situation; he’s trying his best. Besides, he inherited the problem, and all his predecessors failed at it, in my view.
The silent majority in the country, which includes the media, the Church, academia and business, should come together and exert pressure on both sides to curtail the crime monster that is plaguing the country, and take it back from the criminals by all means necessary. Jamaica is one of the countries where crime actually pays. We need to fix that.
The Government should seek help in establishing closed-circuit television all over the island. Safety trumps privacy.
Noel Mitchell
Westchester, New York
nlmworld@yahoo.com