Delroy Chuck
EXTORTION IS so prevalent that it has become the norm and accepted practice in many urban communities. Businessmen, taxi operators, bus drivers, informal commercial traders, tradesmen, contractors and, in fact, many others pay a toll, tax or contribution periodically for the privilege or opportunity to do business or ply their trade. Silently and secretly, business people surrender to this criminal enterprise, even while cursing others for doing so.
Extortion is a billion-dollar racket and a criminal curse on the society. It is partly responsible for the increasing violence and murders everywhere. The whole Jamaican society is being turned upside down as the extortionists thrive and overpower the inner-city communities. The death of the Spanish Town don, Donovan 'Bulbie' Bennett, exposes the huge amount of money that dons and gangsters can amass from extortion and associated criminal activities. I suspect that extortion provides the base from which their criminal enterprises flourish. Soon, they have backhoes, trucks, equipment and money to become favoured contractors with government agencies. Then, they move up the social ladder and are no longer dons, drug barons or extortionists, but well-connected and privileged businessmen.
Extortion thrives and survives because the state has failed. The state has failed to provide protection, security and safety and a vacuum exists, which is quickly filled by the extortionists. If business people could depend on the security forces to come to their assistance in times of need and crisis, to protect their businesses from criminals and allow businesses to operate unimpeded, there would be no need to pay extortion. However, extortionists provide a service and many business people depend on them for personal security, property protection, enforcement of contracts, recovery of debt and contact with the underworld. In many respects, extortion is a criminal enterprise of willing participants.
EASIER TO APPREHEND EXTORTIONISTS
Last Tuesday, November 1, Parliament debated and passed an amendment to the Larceny Act to make it easier to apprehend, prosecute and convict extortionists. The onus has been shifted to the accused to show when he petitions, begs or demands money or material assistance, he has reasonable grounds for doing so and is not engaged in any illicit practice. Quite frankly, I am not sanguine that this latest legislative intervention will do anything to curb the practice of extortion. If victims pay extortion out of fear, will they discover the courage to give evidence and, thereby, curb the practice? Yes, there will be the new cases in which the extortionists demand with menace and are caught red-handed. But, how do we stop the practice that has already developed and has become ingrained and entrenched.
Well, I suggested in the parliamentary debates that business people who make illicit payments are aiding, abetting and facilitating the practice and should also be prosecuted, and I stand by my position. In truth, if business people are paying for security and protection, which I believe may be the primary purpose, they must legitimise and account for these payments. No doubt I will be considered naïve but if business people want to pay protection money then they must find a legitimate route, and that is possible by getting some legitimate benefit for the monetary payments, or just don't pay. I am convinced that it is the willing and reluctant payments of extortion that is empowering the dons, gangs and gunmen in every community.
When people ask, where do the young criminals get the guns and bullets to fight one another, I believe extortion or protection money provides a source. In Northern St. Andrew, genetically linked contractors, inter alia, are the main source of financing of many gangs, dons and gunmen that are terrorising the communities. These contractors use these thugs to protect their work sites, enforce work orders, recover debt and keep out competitors. At the same time, the poor workmanship of these contractors can easily be discerned.
How then can we eliminate the enormous amount of money that goes into the extortion racket? I have no doubt that it has to be a concerted effort to stop the flow of money to illicit purposes. If reluctant victims continue to pay extortion out of fear for their lives, the practice will never stop. If contractors and business people pay protection money for the service provided, the extortion racket can only flourish. More importantly, it is time for the state to assume its duty to effectively police these communities, which is the only sure way to eliminate the extortion racket.
Delroy Chuck is an attorney-at-law and Member of Parliament. He can be contacted by email at Delchuck@hotmail.com.
