A Jamaican Observation

After about a week break due to travels abroad, we are back to our daily dose of blogging. But, there is just one observation we would like to point out based on our brief stop in Jamaica.

It was refreshing to learn from senior police in Jamaica how the US, UK and Canada are partners with Jamaica in a joint operation under the name of "Operation Kingfish".

The UK sponsors daily advertisements on Hype TV calling on citizens to report cases of extortions, illegal guns and other elements that contribute to crime. Two months into the operation's launch in 2004, there were some 54 arrests, with several detainees facing extradition to the partner states. The Jamaican Government at the time the operation was launched, realised that crime and drugs was a problem, hence international help was sought and won.

Similarly, crime and drugs is rampant in Guyana, but on the contrary, the PPP/C refuses to seek substantive help from international partners. The US, UK and Canada seem bent on providing plaster approaches to the deep wounds inflicted by crime and insecurity. Perhaps, they have realised that this Government is not serious about crime and stamping out the wanton use of port facilities for drug transshipments.

In his recent remarks during the budget debate, Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee boasted about the criminals being killed or arrested, yet he refused to mention the names of those involved in the drug underworld. No mention of Roger Khan, Axel Williams and others.

We do not support crime in anyway, but we are bold enough to denounce crime in all forms because unlike the present administration we do not have soft spots.

Soft spots and blind spots have allowed crime to breathe. Rohee in his presentation also said that the crime attacks were politically motivated, a statement that contradicts the President's statements about the two attacks, which was based on the premise that both attacks were banditry. In fact, the President in his statement gave this nation the impression that there was no insurgency as indicated by so many political observers.

Again we fully support a comprehensive approach from the international community, but we recognise that the PPP/C is the major stumbling block.