The Editor, Sir:

I support the editorial in Sunday's Gleaner and the article written by Lambert Brown on the crime situation. Please publish my own letter to Mr Brown and my own views below.

Dear Lambert:

I read your article and thought that it was right on target. I wrote my own advertorial below last week in which I intended to place in the newspaper, but decided against it because I realise that most people think that it is a waste of time .The reason that they think that it is a waste of time is that they have no confidence that the problem can be solved and so they sympathise but don't push the Government for action. The problem is compounded by the fact that the Government also thinks that way.

Huge investment

If the matter was treated as a national crisis and resources were brought to bear on the problem (as in the case of the financial meltdown a few years ago), then it could be solved. This will take a huge investment and it will be hard to get the private sector to agree because they are against anything that involves touching their pocket.

We have to figure out how to convert our people and the Government from this attitude of defeat to one of action. I believe that the trade union movement can play a critical role in this endeavour by bringing together all unions and organise public marches and demonstrations and insist that the Government stop tinkering and take decisive action. The JLP fought hard to lead this country but now seem to place little value on the lives of the people that put them in power.

Please keep this matter on the front burner.

Best regards

John Mahfood

My own view

The murder rate has started to rise again and will likely exceed that of 2007. The Chief Servant's grand-sounding statements in his inaugural speech about combating crime has turned out to be baseless. The amount set aside in the Budget is far less than what is needed to deal with this problem. It is clear that he is much happier to focus on other areas rather than getting into the trenches to fight crime.

I am saddened by his failure, but more saddened by our collective failure to push for action. It appears that we are willing to ignore the failure of this party for fear that it would play into the hands of the Opposition. Don't be afraid, the Opposition is leaderless and poses no threat to the JLP at this time. In any event, this is about the survival of Jamaica for our children and is not about politics. Let's just continue to hide behind our self-made prisons and ignore the reality until we get the chance to emigrate to the great country to our north, I am sure that you will be satisfied to be a second-class citizen in a white man's country. As you are similarly satisfied to sit back in silence while the murders continue in your own country.

I am, etc.,

JOHN MAHFOOD

john.mahfood@yahoo.com