THE EDITOR, Sir:
THE POWERS that be, including the National Works Agency, seem at a lost as to how to bring an end to the extortion racket which is now a cancer which has taken root in our society. I agree it is not going to be easy, but the first step must be in the right direction.
To my mind, asking the contractors to solve the problem of extortion by not giving in is tantamount to asking them to commit suicide. Placing police and soldiers on the site will not solve the problem since people in the area would be ordered by the "the don" not to turn out for work as pointed out by the works agency's Mr. Palmer. Bringing in workers from outside cannot be the solution either, since the moment one such worker is ambushed travelling to or from work or even at home then that would be the end of that.
The solution therefore is to target the extortionists themselves. The problem must be tackled at the root, and since the police and everyone in the area know who controls the various enclaves then this is where it must start.
Sadly though, we all know this is not going to happen, since:
1) we lack the political and collective will to do this;
2) no one is going to testify when "dons" are arrested since witnesses know their lives would be worth nothing.
The bottom line remains, however, that unless the "don" is controlled then nothing will change. The million-dollar question is "who is going to bell the cat?"
I am, etc.,
GEORGE BLACK
Bridgeport P.O.
St. Catherine
