Horace Reid, Contributor
(In a letter to the Editor)
MY EXPECTATIONS of Bruce Golding was that having presented himself as a balanced and reformed person while leading the NDM, he would now carry that attitude to help in the healing of the nation by being an objective Senator.
His recent irrational criticism of the efforts to tackle the current crime wave suggests that he has not changed at all. Without presenting one shred of evidence he has described as "a grave error" the Minister's statement that the narco trade is at the root of the crime, and offers, again without evidence, "a crisis of confidence, a crisis of authority and people getting the feeling of abandonment" as the root causes.
Senator Golding is unable to see what association can exist between "when a lady is robbed and killed at an ATM machine for $2,000" and drugs. If he truly cannot, he is not worthy to be a Senator and if he can, he is just plain dishonest. My friend's 12-year-old son was quick to offer a possible association. When asked, he said "a crack head could have killed her for the money to get another fix." I think we should make the boy a Senator.
We cannot successfully fight crime if we cannot unite in our words and actions. We cannot successfully fight crime if we, without credible information, criticise those who are placed in authority and hence ought to have access to more information than the rest of us. We cannot win the battle against the gunmen if we continue to personally attack prominent citizens when they offer suggestions to fighting crime.
How will it benefit crime-fighting to parallel Cherry Gardens with inner-city experience. The truth is that comparison only fuels the hate and resentment for people living in Cherry Gardens and other like areas, by others as it suggests that the former are getting away with murder. We can successfully fight crime if we, when we lose a free and fair election admit to the public and our supporters that we have lost and that we unconditionally respect the will of the people. I am yet to hear the Leader of the Opposition concede. He is reported to have given an explanation that sounds like a near win is the same as a win and if you lost by a closer margin than in the previous race then you should share honours. Confusing isn't it?
I have no doubt in my mind that Senator Golding means well.
I am therefore asking him to stop the foolishness and take a tough position on crime wither or not it is being committed by people in the narcotic trade or it is being committed by those that he described as having "a crisis of confidence etc."
Examine the effects of the leaders of the JLP telling their supporters and the nation in general not to have any confidence in this government; that the newly-elected government will not last more than two years, that the government can fix all the social ills of the country and that they don't because they do not care.
If these and other like statements can destroy confidence and create the feeling of hopelessness that inspires criminal activities, then Senator Golding and others that make these baseless statements in the name of opposing are indeed a part of the problem.
- horacer@cwjamaica.com
