Letter of the Day - This culture of death and suffering THE EDITOR, Sir: DESPITE THE overwhelming goodness of our people in general and the efforts of some real Samaritans in particular, something must be very wrong with us as a collective. All of us, from very low to very high places in this society, see, read of, and talk about the signs and consequences of our waywardness (as I am now doing) but nobody, either in these low or high places, seem willing to do what common sense, along with expensive expert advice, are suggesting. Last night's newscast was not very different from that of other nights. It reported three murders on our average three-per day killing field. Everyone of these murders, and others of the estimated 912 to 1100 that we already have, and will murder this year, leave very real tragedies in their wake in spouses, children, parents, siblings and others. And these 'others' extend to the rest of us, many of whom internalise these atrocities as though they happened right in our own homes and go through the torment to match. What kind of jungle have we created for ourselves? When a murderer leaves Kingston and goes looking for a man over a lunch stall business dispute but, on not finding him, murdered his woman and her sister, what do we have in addition to a jungle? And when this is added to the other atrocities that happen to our people morning, noon and night far from, near to and sometimes in our very police stations, does this not look like anarchy to anyone? Where is the prior responsibility for the creation of this kind of Jamaica and where is today's responsibility for cleaning up the mess? Nothing is easy and there is no quick fix but, if we start today, we might not have to wait for an eternity to start seeing results. Might any of the following strategies help? (1) National parenting initiative so that our children are cultured as youngsters with a promise versus as things. (2) National initiative to teach the things that help people to see and feel value, worth and dignity in themselves. (3) Another nationally co-ordinated initiative to 'popularise' basic courtesy and self-respect by teaching it at home, school and the workplace. (4) Institute, with the constitutional and moral force of the nation, a rigorous system of discipline in schools. (5) Adopt the African family nurturing technique of the village raising the child. (6) Fix the national justice system. There is something grotesquely wrong and immoral the way it has, and continues to be. Why is it that only small time criminals go to jail while the masterminds and multi-million dollar thieves and swindlers parade the society almost as paragons of virtue? (7) Speed up the justice dispensing system so that the accused get a fair trial within acceptable time limits. (8) Dispense justice swiftly in accordance with law and due process. (9) Treat offenders as people and put the emphasis on rehabilitation versus de-humanising them. (10) Deal firmly and resolutely with those who, after due process, are adjudged as unfit for civilised society. The leaders of our society and especially those who manage our national affairs bear a special responsibility to our state of affairs because, even before the proverbial end of the day, the philosophy and strategies that they use to manage and dominate our lives cannot be separated from their own consequences. There is a strong body of thought that says that when the national policies shrink the economy and keep it mummified, you not only take away jobs from people. In the process, you also take away their self-respect and dignity and, when you do that to a man and breadwinner, you reduce him to the level of a prowler who must then do whatever is necessary to survive. I am etc., LLOYD A VERMONT Kingston
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