Dear Editor,

There may be hope for Jamaica yet.

It appears as if the scales are beginning to fall from the eyes of Prime Minister Andrew Holness on the issue of capital punishment. Better late than never.

The Government is also, correctly, drastically increasing the penalties for murder, including murder committed by youth. Youth is where crime is at these days. Hopefully he will not backslide or be deterred by the various ‘oologists’, assorted bleeding hearts, and human rights advocates who forget that the most important human right is the right to life.

Singapore is the best example of where tough laws and sentences work. Those who oppose Holness need to show Jamaicans a country where soft laws, kid glove sentences, and misguided judges have reduced crime. I believe they would be hard-pressed to do so.

And should the prime minister stiffen the sinews and summon the blood to carry out the capital punishment law on the books, he need not have fear that there will be a shortage of workers to execute the final act, including at least one I know in the diaspora.

Errol WA Townshend

Canada

ewat@rogers.com