D.K. Duncan THERE IS no public empirical evidence to support an emerging view that the recurring wave of crime and violence is designed by the Government of the People's National Party (PNP) or its supporters to lay the basis for the introduction of a national or partial State of Emergency .
Neither is there is any public empirical evidence to support a whispered view that the recurring wave of crime and violence is either initiated by or supported by the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party (JLP). The whisperers say the violence is calculated to make the Government look bad. This in turn is intended to create a favourable national electoral climate for the JLP prior to the Local Government Election. These are proposed to be held before the end of March 2003.
COLD WAR POLITICS
However, there is growing public empirical evidence to support the view that we are recycling panic. We are also recycling old tribal political responses to the continuing chronic crisis of crime and violence. While acknowledging the need to be comprehensive in our analyses if they are to be useful guides to effective action, it is nevertheless very short-sighted to keep on regurgitating irrelevant remnants of the Cold War politics.
There are at least four major reports on crime and violence, which have been published over the last 10 years. None of them make any reference, passing or otherwise, to any organised plot to justify a State of Emergency or any organised plot to use violence to secure partisan electoral advantage. Instead, exhaustive analysis and comprehensive, holistic and detailed recommendations have been made. These range from improving methods of governance, through specific police actions to community participation.
THE WOLFE REPORT
These four reports include: The Report of the National Task Force on Crime, which was published in April 1993. Established by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson on November 18, 1992 it is commonly referred to as the Wolfe Report, after its chairman the Hon. Justice Wolfe - later to become and still is the Chief Justice of Jamaica.
The rationale for establishing the Task Force as stated in its report on 1993 was: "Having regard to national concerns as to the prevailing levels of crime and violence, the deleterious effect of crime on the social order and its negative potential for economic development, a National Task Force is hereby constituted to advise on appropriate strategies consistent with the pursuit of justice, for the maintenance of law and order."
In its preamble the 1993 Report stated - "There were frequent upsurges of violent crimes in the Corporate Area and other parts of Jamaica, between late 1991 and 1992. These upsurges of crime became a cause for grave concern. As a consequence of public concern, another Task Force on Crime was established. This has been the usual pattern. No serious on-going plan to deal with crime exists."
The response to the Twelve Terms of Reference (TOR) resulted in 141 main recommendations. The same 1993 Report, noted that "throughout the length and breadth of Jamaica, the concern was whether or not the Government would implement even a minority of the recommendations."
In addressing the second TOR and the recommendations that were made to facilitate a reduction in crime and violence in the short and medium term, the Wolfe Report may have anticipated the continuing recycling of panic and the rush to introduce 'short-term' draconian measures. It stated: "The cynics no doubt will regard all of this as utopian, but until these matters are addressed in a serious way, we will be applying cosmetics to the problems." This is against the background of one of their recommendations that "to control crime the Government must become the facilitator in creating the conditions whereby humankind be offered the opportunity for self-actualisation."
Recommendations also spoke to the manifestations of political tribalism.
KERR REPORT
The second major report is the Report of the National Committee on Political Tribalism commonly called the Kerr Report. Named after its chairman the Hon. Justice James S. Kerr O.J. Q.C. this report was published on July 23, 1997. Set up by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson on August 30, 1996 this Committee was asked, "to consider and recommend practical steps to reduce political tensions and violence."
This Committee made 23 General Proposals and Recommendations while incorporating some of those made by the Wolfe Report.
PERF REPORT
A third major report is that of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) of Washington, D.C., USA. This was published in January 2001. Funded by the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) the Forum concentrated on the Jamaica Constabulary Force in the second half of 2000. The Hirst Report of the early 1990s did the same thing. Nevertheless, it also recognised the linkages adumbrated by the Wolfe and Kerr Reports. The PERF Report itself made 82 recommendations.
THE NATIONAL CONSENSUS
The fourth major report - the mother of all reports - was published in June 2002. It was signed by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson and Opposition Leader Edward Seaga in Gordon House - The House of Parliament on Tuesday June 11, 2002.
This report, referred to as The National Consensus on Crime and Violence, incorporated a review of the preceding three reports as well as at least five others. It was the subject of further discussions at the bipartisan post-election Summit held at Vale Royal on November 1, 2002. Assuming the follow-up Summit scheduled for this Friday November 29, 2002 is held as planned, discussions on this report as well as constitutional reform and other issues are to continue.
The two plots - the 'State of Emergency plot' and the 'Local Government Election plot' should be put squarely on the table on Friday. Unless there is some secret empirical evidence to support these allegations, none of which have been embraced publicly by either the JLP or the PNP, they should be dismissed out of hand - and publicly so.
Instead let us concentrate on harmonising the 141 recommendations of the Wolfe Report the 23 in the Kerr Report, the 82 in the PERF Report as well as the 16 major recommendations of the National Committee on Crime and Violence.
The 1993 National Task Force on Crime, which preceded the Kerr Report, the PERF Report and the Report of the National Committee on Crime and Violence, recorded a problem. The Task Force found that numerous studies have been made on Crime and Violence in Jamaica. Several reports have been written. There is no lack of information on the subject. What has been lacking is the political will to implement the recommendations of the previous task forces.
Let us implement the mother of all reports.
Former PNP General Secretary and Government Minister in the PNP Administration of the 1970s. Dr. Duncan, a dental surgeon, recently established the D.K. Duncan Political Institute. E-mail: dktruth@hotmail.com
