Letter of the Day - The haemorrhaging of Jamaica THE EDITOR, Sir: THE LATEST official murder figures from the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) indicate that up to August 12, there were 634 reported homicides, compared to 547 for the same date in 2000, and 562 in 1999. But at least 22 other murders have been reported since August 13, putting the current murder figure at about 656. ( The Jamaica Gleaner, August 20, 2001). On the day I saw that horrendous report in your newspaper, written with all the nonchalance of a walk on the beach, the year was just 232 days old. An average of almost three Jamaicans per day had lost their lives to the gun. How can a country bleed like this? And that figure is only murders. When you add the AIDS deaths, the road deaths, and the deaths from natural causes, you have to ask yourself, how long can this madness go on in a small, poor country of just over two million people? Two of every three Jamaicans who come to grief violently are young and able-bodied. Who will produce the goods and services in Jamaica in the next 20 years? Who will pay the taxes? Any small island nation that loses 900 or 1,000 of its young citizens every year to gang, drugs and political violence will be impoverished in two decades, if not sooner. The Jamaica tragedy has a message for us in Barbados. There are some ostriches down here who think it can't happen in good old Bim. They are so wrong. Is the situation beyond the capacity of wise men and women to solve? I say no. I am etc., CARL MOORE carlmoore@caribsurf.com Via Go-Jamaica
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