D.K. Duncan THE PRIME Minister is travelling down a one-way street. The problem is - there are no signs to indicate which direction is correct. On the other hand, it may turn out that he is leading us into a cul-de-sac from which the return journey could be problematic. The repackaging of the anti-crime measures in response to justifiable recycled panic leads me to this kind of confusion or conclusion.
Clearly, the comprehensive nature of the reconfigured measures announced on Sunday night can enlist the support of the entire nation. Each stakeholder can assume that his/her or their priorities coincides with that of the state. This column however will deal with and recognise only action as it emerges over time.
POLITICAL WILL
In searching for reasons for an apparent lack of political will over the years to implement a holistic plan, I have so far only come up with one possibility. Undoubtedly, there are others. This in an attempt to be generous, positive and as supportive as possible. As simplistic as it may appear to be, it seems that as a society we, including our leaders, misunderstand the meaning of short, medium and long-term measures. One could argue, based on casual observation that long-term measures seem to mean implementing in the long-term the distant future rather than implementing now to achieve long-term results. So, therefore, when the several anti-crime reports make recommendations calling for action on the social, political and economic front these are left to be implemented later in the long-term.
The latest repackaging is no different. Nothing new was expected because most, if not everything which can be recommended, have already been put down on paper or announced.
MORE AND BIGGER SPECIAL SQUADS
This time around, the only action identifiable is the increase in the size and numbers of the special squads. The Special Anti-Crime Task Force (SACTF alias Acid) has been increased in numbers. The Crime Management Unit (CMU) has been increased in numbers. The Gleaner on Sunday reported that separately a quick response team will be placed at the Mobile Reserve plus a detachment of the country's finest detectives assigned to a newly formed Major Investigating Team (MIT). All three special squads SACTF, CMU and the Mobile Reserve Command will apparently work out of and under the umbrella of the Mobile Reserve Command. Action began on Sunday to coincide with the Prime Minister's announcement of the repackaging on Sunday night. These squads will target gangs a project identified from the days of former Commissioner Trevor MacMillan.
OPPOSITE TO PERF
It is interesting that the road to be travelled by the State the Executive and the Security Arms is in the opposite direction of that recommended by the PERF reports of January 2001. Twenty-two recommendations on the question of the Mobile Reserve and the Special Squads were made by this group following an exhaustive analysis. Some of these would already have had medium and long-term effects if implemented at that time. They have not been implemented. We continue down the old ineffective road mainly because each time we use the "big stick approach" there seems to be a short-term abatement in some crimes. We then sit on our mythical laurels hoping for some unexpected outcome while using the same old methodology.
Quick response teams are an important aspect of policing. However, to convert over ten per cent of the "sworn members" of your force into these quick response teams along with the use of significant numbers of the Jamaica Defence Force is loading the dice. Without implementing measures designed to have medium and long-term effects is converting the directionless one-way road into a cul-de-sac.
MEDIUM AND LONG TERM HOPE
One would have hoped for specifics on the social, political and economic issues. One can only hope that Minister Simpson Miller will very soon give us details or even an update on the Inner City Initiatives. One can only hope that Minister of Justice A.J. Nicholson will tell us who are the members of the new Constituted Authority to address human and civil rights abuses.
One can only hope that Security Minister Peter Phillips will give us reports on the effectiveness or the lack thereof of the Bureau of Special Investigations, the Office of Professional Responsibility and the Police Public Complaints Authority the three existing complaint bodies. One can also hope based on the several reports converging into the Report of the National Committee on Crime that long-term measures to defeat Political Tribalism will begin to be implemented now.
There are more questions than answers. The Arm of the State as represented by the Security Forces have gone into action. It is time for the Executive arm represented by the relevant Cabinet Minister and the Legislative arm represented by the Parliamentarians to follow suit. Parliament is meeting for the first time today since they were sworn in after the elections of October 16, 2002 some forty-seven days or seven weeks later. Action, not a bag-a-mouth is the only imperative.
Little did we know that in the 1960s when the social classes danced to the rock steady beat and sang "Walking down the road with a pistol in your waist Johnny you too bad" that we would as a society be looking to execute hundreds of Johnny's in 2002.
Little did we know that when the social classes rocked to the beat and sang the words of "Dem a loot-dem a shoot-dem a wail-in a Shanty town" that there would be a weeping and a wailing and a gnashing of teeth in 2002. Clearly Rude Boy gone a jail because him ca'an get bail."
Now that we know we had better heed the words of James Baldwin "No more water but the fire next time." unless and until we understand what short, medium and long-term implies.
Former PNP General Secretary and Government Minister in the PNP Administration of the 1970s. Dr. Duncan, a dental surgeon, recently established the D.K. Duncan Political Institute. E-mail: dktruth@hotmail.com
