Combating crime a priority
published: Friday | November 25, 2005

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I RECENTLY read Opposition Leader Bruce Golding's crime plan and I am in total agreement with the analysis, even though at times he seems to be in a bind as to what his partisan instincts tell him, contrary to what is right for the country. Garrison politics breeds contempt for law and order and the lawless take advantage of this condition. Heather Robinson's valiant effort to oppose Bulbie during her brief tenure as Member of Parliament was consistent with the stance taken by the People's National Party Youth Organisation during the '70s when she was a member.

Combating the monster of crime must be the nation's number one priority or else everything else fails. I can't help being so angry that my blood boils at the brutality of the criminality imposed on our society and the effortless ease with which the perpetrators operate. People are hard-pressed to condemn vigilantism even when my civil sensibilities tell me otherwise. It is, in my view, a misguided mission to be facilitating peace initiatives with criminals. Cessation of hostilities among criminals can only lead to one result, more trauma for the society at large. The police must be free to do their work (i.e. harassing the criminal network). People don't care a damn about partisan loyalties when they are personally afraid of being robbed and killed. The security forces must be provided with the resources to fight crime or we are destined for the abyss.

I am, etc.,

SEFTON JOHNSON

Former Senator and National Chairman

People's National Party

Youth Organisation

Via Go-Jamaica