Letter of the day - The financing of criminals in Jamaica THE EDITOR, Sir: THE EMBATTLED government and security forces appear to be losing the fight against crime here in Jamaica. Their inability to manage the crime situation is due mainly to an ineffective and weak Commissioner of Police, a police structure that is in conflict with itself and the citizens, a lack of any meaningful policing plan, corrupt policemen and policewomen, poorly-trained and ill-equipped police personnel and neutralised police stations and personnel in some instances. The situation started to deteriorate in the 1980s when a few known criminals and gangs were allowed to flourish. Their strength and prominence came through the transhipment of cocaine to North America and Europe. In the 1990s, the situation worsened when the gangs increased in numbers and move to control additional geographic locations in the Corporate Area. They also kept satellite bases in southern coastal towns throughout Jamaica. Their activities increased into areas such as: heavy-duty construction equipment rentals, stage show promotions and productions, construction and operation of small plazas, minibuses and taxis, used car sales, import/export and custom brokerage services. The criminals' sophistication and bases deepened with the entry of some of our local professionals and business people. These newcomers opened up the gangs and crime lords to new businesses such as: importation of food and other commodity items for the formal and informal sector, customs duty fraud and avoidance, establishing security companies, bidding for large contracts for supplying good or services, staging of mega entertainment activities. In all of this some political connections remained present. Political support and cover are given to these criminals directly and indirectly. Some of the tactics used by politicians include: providing legal service and/or the financing to known criminals in their constituencies, publicly praising them as good community members, and chastising the police for seeking them out. The police and government have lost most of these communities to these criminal gang lords. The police and many agencies of the state must now negotiate with these criminals or their agents in order to do legitimate state work in these communities. Garbage collection and disposal, any form of construction work by the state, are the two main areas through which the state indirectly provides financing to these criminals. In certain parts of Kingston alone it is estimated that these criminal warlords are paid close to $50 millions annually, directly or through their agents, for garbage collection and related activities. The cash-rich criminals and drug lords provide support to numerous men and women, boys and girls and communities through: purchasing of motor vehicles for use, providing cell phones, setting up bars, restaurants, supporting family of slain or incarcerated associates, and gifts to schools in the areas. To break this cycle the police must develop the capability to penetrate and dismantle these gangs. Penetration can only be done through intelligence, electronic surveillance and human intelligence. To do this the police need guidance from the FBI to provide the training and the setting up of their framework. This will require fresh and strict recruiting of college graduates with impeccable character. Legislations will have to be amended to allow for the use of surveillance tapes as permissible evidence in court cases. A new relationship with the DPP's office and the police will be required, to guide the investigations of the police so the latter will better understand the preparation of cases for court. A vast reduction and elimination in police excesses leading to the regaining of trust by lawful Jamaicans will be achieved only by providing clear guidelines for the use of deadly force, independent investigation of abuses by the police and swift justice always. We need to remove assault weapons from the ordinary police personnel, and to create an elite SWAT team which will take command of certain situations requiring special weapons and operations. Finally, the criminals' sources of income must be interrupted, starting immediately with the state projects. The JDF must lead this drive. We all know who the super dons and their agents are, they are all interlinked through drugs, gun-running, extortions, hit killings, kidnappings, politics and a hatred for law and order. I am etc., ROY ANTHONY voiceofjamaica@yahoo.com
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