Good sense prevails

POLITICAL WILL, brokered by private sector leadership, finally prevailed at Vale Royal last Friday. The results of the top-level meeting brightened the prospect of good sense averting national calamity.

Thus it was that after weeks of unilateral and self-serving barbs, Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, with supporting aides, met face to face and showed the nation that civility at least survives.

The major achievement is seen as the setting up of a committee to develop a national consensus on the approach to crime-fighting. This is the first of a six-point agenda to address political tribalism, the growing gun culture, economic and infrastructural development of the depressed areas, and revival of a code of political conduct, among other issues.

A joint press release issued after the meeting made no mention of the thorny issue of the Commission of Enquiry into the West Kingston episode of July 7-9. But its aftermath of sporadic violence was a major concern, along with the operations of the Security Forces in dealing with a situation in which crime and politics are intertwined.

The release recognised that in the fight against crime there is both a domestic and international aspect to the problem. The latter is clearly an allusion to the impact of drug trafficking which the Prime Minister so recently linked to the inflow of high-powered weaponry.

Friday's apparently successful meeting was important for another reason. The measure of political co-operation in tackling several problems must be sustained with the approach of the General Election.

The acid test will come as the campaign intensifies; but even before that the sporadic violence in the west must cease now, or else the political leadership will be seen to have yielded control to the criminal elements.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner.

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