The Editor, Sir:

Jamaica is poised for change and for growth but, for this to happen, something has to be done about the runaway murder rate. You cannot expect people to risk their money and time as well as their lives to invest in a country where lawlessness seems to be the norm. In this age of globalization, and with a lot of countries opening up and adopting the free market system, for Jamaica to be seen as a viable destination for investment opportunities by entrepreneurs, the crime rate has got to be dealt with drastically. The country needs new investments in order to survive in this global economy.

People have to be free to move about and conduct business without worrying if they will make it to the end of the day alive. What is going on in Jamaica today is a sure way for Jamaica to plunge so far into poverty, Haiti will seem like paradise. The Government alone cannot do it. Each citizen needs to act and work with the police and other law enforcement agencies and put the murderers, both those pulling the trigger and those in suits, out of business.

Stop blocking roads and demonstrating when a killer is killed by the police. Those are the same murderers that are terrorising your communities and are giving Jamaica a bad image globally. Those murdering cowards know they can hide behind the 'frock tails' of the so-called human rights organisations, who only have strength for the police. After the murderers kill off all the poor and hard-working people, whom do you think they will turn on next? And you have the nerve to ask Jamaicans living abroad to come home and invest in the country. Clean up that mess first, and in your cleaning, get rid of the garrison communities. Scatter them.

I am, etc.,

WAN ROY

ragawain@earthlink.net

Fort Lauderdale

Florida

Via Go-Jamaica