Jamaican lives matter

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Jamaican gangs continue to, literally and figuratively, get away with murder, while presenting a clear and present danger to the lives of decent, law-abiding, taxpaying, hard-working Jamaican citizens who strongly desire to live and, while alive, exist in a peaceful country, where one or two murders, annually, are considered plenty.

The number-one duty of the Government of Jamaica is to secure the lives of Jamaican residents. Unfortunately, and for whatever reason or reasons, this is not being done, given the high incidence of brutal murders that have taken place on the island since the start of 2020.

Jamaicans, old and young, are tired of the recycled, ineffective, and wordy policies, programmes and methodologies spoken about and legislated by successive prime ministers, ministers of national security, commissioners of police, and government administrations.

Decade after decade, administrations, in collaboration with the Jamaica Constabulary Force, have failed to protect and preserve the lives of the Jamaican people. Today, locally, there are nearly 400 gangs in existence, of which some 250 are active.

Historically and hysterically, thousands of Jamaican citizens, between 1980 and the present, have been the victims of murder at the hands of cold-blooded killers, be they gang members or lone gunmen.

In Jamaica, the proliferation of gangs and gang culture has remained the same. They continue to flourish, continue to recruit more young men, and continue to commit more murders, year after year, decade after decade.

It’s time for a 180-degree change to take place in Jamaica, land we love. The Government must PROTECT we, the Jamaican people, over the short, medium, and long terms, by ANY means necessary!

PATRICK GALLIMORE