Noel Thompson, Gleaner Writer

Police Commissioner Hardley Lewin

WESTERN BUREAU:

Police Commissioner Hardley Lewin has warned that persons involved in the guns-for-drugs trade between Haiti and Jamaica will have to seek new ways to circumvent tough crime-fighting methods being implemented by the governments of the two islands.

Impractical suggestions

The Rear Admiral was addressing residents in St Elizabeth at a Crime Forum put on by the St Elizabeth Homecoming Foundation, held at the Heart Trust centre in Black River Tuesday night. Sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS), the forum was held under the theme - The Emerging Crime Challenges Facing St Elizabeth.

Referring to suggestions to seal off the Jamaican coastal waters to prevent contraband from entering our shores, Lewin said that was impractical and should not be considered.

"The US and the Israelis can't do it, if determined terrorists want to get to shore, and we cannot afford 45 destroyers to seal off our coast," he said.

"Whatever is traveling by sea has to come to shore and, if it doesn't reach, then we are happy. Therefore, we have to work on intelligence gathering," he said, adding that most of the police success, in seizing firearms entering Jamaica, has been achieved on shore.

Guns disguised

The commissioner explained that prior to the gun-for-drugs trade between Haiti and Jamaica, guns were entering the island's wharves, hidden in appliances, barrels and vehicles. He said, in recent years, unscrupulous persons have devised other methods of transporting guns into the country.

"Let's not fool ourselves, as long as we have this great thirst and demand for guns in Jamaica, those who make it their business to import, distribute and sell arms and ammunition are going to seek new ways to do it," he warned.

"We cannot shoot or hang our way out of the problem. There is no point killing all the gunmen when the gun factories remain active. The causes are rooted deep and we must reflect on them," he said.