A member enters the church compound on Dayton Avenue, St. Andrew, on Tuesday. The police have started investigations into an incident involving the abuse of a schoolgirl in the presence of a senior church member. - RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
The following are Letters to the Editor commenting on The Gleaner's lead story yesterday in relation to the sexual abuse of a schoolgirl in Kingston.
THE EDITOR, Sir:
A GIRL is sexually tortured and the ordeal is preserved on tape to ensure she never forgets it, all this in the presence of a church official?
What is even more shocking is that the pastor of the church knows of it and does not report the matter to the police.
The police now know of it and I am waiting to see how long they are going to wait to make an arrest.
Ten years ago my daughter died suddenly and the policeman who was investigating first tried to assist the responsible parties by deliberately misleading the court and not serving me a summons to attend an inquest. It took three years to have the inquest and the matter was sent to the DPP for further action. To date the DPP has not dealt with it. I decided to leave Jamaica before I become a part of the crime statistics.
The police chief has a tough task ahead, and he is not going to succeed if swift and decisive action is not taken against people who facilitate crime and then claim no participation.
If I may offer an opinion, some of the worst criminals are created out of revenge for injustice.
I am, etc.,
RUPERT MCPHERSON
eddie15002001@yahoo.com
USA
THE EDITOR, Sir:
THIS INCIDENT is terrible, it is evil! What is going on in a country when a church deacon watches the destruction of a young girl? The deacon has questions to answer as the law states that they must report any incident of abuse. If that was my church, I would switch imme-diately. Wake up Jamaica, save your people, cherish your children.
Something is wrong when people see such an incident occurring to a child and do not feel driven to help or become filled with rage.
I beg those authorities involved in this to punish everyone involved to the full extent of the law. A message must be sent that the Government will no longer tolerate such perversion, evil and blatant disregard for human life.
I am, etc.,
STEPHANIE
stephynegril@yahoo.com
Orlando, Florida
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I AM completely appalled at the nonchalant behaviour and lack of urgency that is being shown to this matter. I am also surprised that there seems to be no questioning of church officials; is it just because it's a little girl's case; there are many other child abuse cases in Jamaica where there is no urgency to seek resolve.
Jamaican church people better start wising up and stop protecting molesters and abusers. When someone outside the church does this crap they are going to hell, but when someone inside the church contributes to aiding and abetting a serious crime such as this, then he should be treated with mercy.
The level of complacency with church members to ensure that a law-breaker is punished by the law of the land is frightening, because Jamaicans are getting too used to giving someone a 'bligh'.
I am, etc.,
TAMARA
USA
