Adams and Forbes are heroes

THE EDITOR, Sir:

HISTORY INEVITABLY repeats itself ­ it takes a crisis to reveal the heroes amongst us, and so it is, and continues to be with Jamaica.

Both Commissioner Francis Forbes and Senior Supt. Reneto Adams, on my assessment, qualify as heroes thrown up by our present crisis of mindless and unrelenting violence. It is clear to me that these officers both, are men of extraordinary courage!

On present performance, they clearly have thrown reasonable apprehension aside, in their determination and commitment to discharge their hazardous public duty, regardless of the very real danger to their lives, and providing they do survive, which so many of us pray that they do, they may then be faced with the virtual certainty of loss of their current posts, should there be a change of Government, as is possible to occur in the near future. This, surely is the stuff of heroes - so scarce, yet so absolutely needed both in the public and private arenas of leadership in Jamaica and elsewhere!

Not many of us, however, are gifted with this level of courage. Nevertheless, we the lesser ones in that regard, need not feel necessarily diminished thereby, since each of us does have something to give, whether we are aware of it or not!

This 'Glimpse of the Truth' bequeathed to us by an unknown ancestor or ancestors, and quoted below gives some clues:-

"If you are old, teach the

young,

If you are young, help the old,

If you are brave, inspire the

fearful,

If you are fearful honour the

brave!"

In the circumstances, numbered as I am among the fearful, I hereby honour both these brave men, and the men they have inspired to bravery under their leadership.

I am, etc.,

"Fearful but Optimistic"

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