Garth RattrayIF I were to tell you that I intended to enter representational politics, you would know for an absolute certainty that it is an All Fool's Day prank. But when I relate the following true story, you will wish that I were joking.
One of my patients is a decent, law-abiding, hard-working 30-year-old higgler. While working downtown last year, he was approached by a youth who had previously "hailed him up" twice. The youth put a gun to his left temple and pulled the trigger. The bullet tore into his head, blew out his left eye from behind and went on to sever his right optic nerve rendering him instantly and permanently blind. To this day he remains a sick and disabled man, goes in and out of hospital and occasionally teeters at death's door.
His relatives told me that there was ongoing "friction" between two adjoining areas and that some fool shot him randomly as a reprisal assault on that community. The shooting took place one sunny morning on a busy Kingston street in full view of everyone, yet no one has co-operated with the authorities. Inevitably, jungle justice, more reprisal shootings and possibly even extrajudicial killings will follow. This is the sort of foolishness that goes on in our country, the sort of thing that eventually culminates in disgraceful incidents like what is alleged to have taken place in Braeton.
Over the years, criminal elements have succeeded in making fools out of those they wish to manipulate. They beguile, acculturate and cower entire communities into mistrusting established systems of law and order. Aided and abetted by corrupt lawmen and errant public officials, they have managed to create an alternate system of so-called "justice". Disdain for the informer has encouraged individual, group and even state vigilantism (extrajudicial killings). People have been fooled into creating and supporting the means for their own inevitable demise.
So rampant is vigilantism that it was manifest around a cesspool at the University of Technology (Vigilantism 101 perhaps). A group of foolish individuals (including UTech students), was instrumental in the death of an alleged car thief. "Decent", "educated" people underwent Dar-winian regression and resorted to stones and fire in meting out their brand of justice. Now students have been threatened with retaliation. This viscous cycle will continue until and unless we allow the system to work.
Understandably, witnesses are often too frightened to report serious crimes or to appear in court out of fear for their lives and the lives of their family and relatives. Accused criminals have sent death threats by messengers and even prison cell-phones (or is it prison-cell phones?). They sometimes have the temerity to gesture threateningly in court. Witnesses have told me that the only way that they would give the police information is if they can be assured that the "criminals" will not live to exact revenge. This is probably one reason for extrajudicial killings.
In a recent Gleaner piece, Deputy Acting Director of the DPP, David Fraser, voiced his concerns that our justice system is being undermined by fear. But there are ways and means of reporting crimes or criminal activities surreptitiously. Since it was launched on September 6, 1989 the "CRIME STOP" programme has been an invaluable ally in the war on crime. It offers rewards for information leading to the arrest of criminals. Tips received are entirely anonymous.
Additionally, if witnesses, jurors, judicial officers, legal officers, law enforcement officers or any of their associates are threatened or feel unsafe they can apply to the Ministry of National Security's Justice Protection programme. The aims and objectives of the programme are to provide confidence for witnesses to come forward to report serious offences and give evidence freely. It will provide speedier trials, counselling, accommodations and financial assistance to witnesses under the programme.
The range of offences for which one may seek protection is wide and includes murder, manslaughter, treason, kidnapping, firearm breaches, robberies, sexual offences, financial crimes and even domestic violence. The rules of protection are so stringent that information is only given to officers within the system on a need to know basis. People are sometimes put up in safe houses, given new identities or relocated to foreign countries. They are even financially supported until gainfully employed.
Don't be fooled. Our country cannot survive jungle justice, reprisals and extrajudicial killings. The best deterrent to crime is the apprehension and prosecution of transgressors. The government has gone to great lengths to help us to help ourselves; the system works so let's use it.
Dr Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice.
