THE EDITOR, Sir:
WITH THE news that a family friend was gunned down along with two of his friends this weekend at Naggo Head I immediately went into reflection on the state of senseless crimes which have invaded the island. Its source, the reason for the widespread multiple killings have been on the lips of all Jamaicans who seem helpless and confused as we seek answers so difficult to come by. Among the matters I reflected on was an incident recently related to be by a mother, the single-parent of two daughters. On the street where she has lived for over 20 years her dogs have come under attack from some boys between the ages of nine and twelve. She knew these boys from birth. Her dog was seriously injured in the last stone-throwing incident and when spoken to, they hurled expletives containing dirty sexual acts at her. I remind you they are not yet teenagers. She decided to complain to one of the boys' mother.
'A DIS U FE GET INFORMER'
Last week she saw one of the mothers walking with her son. She related her experience to the mother in his presence. The mother told her that she should "bus his..(expletives)", the next time he did it. As they walked away, her son was a few steps behind. The little ten-year-old, pointing his fingers in the shape of gun at her, there and then said to her, "a dis u fe get informer".
What were the lessons for me? Like the warnings of the Met office, I must take the implications of this incident seriously. Firstly, the boy was not reprimanded there and then by his mother. She was content to delegate her responsibilities to a stranger.
Secondly, and more importantly, he was prepared to issue a death threat to an adult, in the presence of his mother, because she dared to "inform on him". When he becomes adult the complaining lady will be well advanced in age. He will by then consider her daughters to be his property who, like the dogs, he can molest with impunity. His tool will be the gun he showed her and Jamaica will continue
to be the crime capital of the world. In words of the song made popular by Elton John, "It's sad, so sad, it's a sad sad situation and it's getting more and more absurd."
I am, etc.,
BERT SAMUELS
Attorney-at-law
Duke Street, Kingston
