Robert Buddan
THE REPORT of the National Committee on Crime and Violence (NCCV, 2002) appears to be the frame of reference for many of the initiatives that have emerged recently to tackle crime and violence. The committee pointed to some general crime-fighting problems such as the over centralisation of authority that leaves communities out of problem-solving; excesses in policing; tribalisation of communities and economic hardships.
It felt that a critical part of the
solution was to rebuild the moral authority of elected officials and to enact legislation to deal with hard core criminals. Many Jamaicans will feel that the solution must indeed begin with the political leadership since there is a
perception that politicians have strong links to criminals.
The committee went on to recommend that we develop legislation against terrorism; remove questionable characters from representational politics; adopt a more bipartisan approach to the appointment of members of the Police Services Commission; and have a bipartisan approach to crime and violence generally, one sustained by regular meetings between government and opposition.
POLITICAL BIPARTISANSHIP
AND CRIME MANAGEMENT
On March 17, Government and Opposition resumed the Vale Royal meetings to discuss a wide range of issues, including public order and the fight against crime. This meeting produced something new. It agreed to have a National Task Force Monitoring Committee to ensure compliance with the decisions of the bipartisan subcommittees.
It was agreed that the general secretaries of both parties would ensure that their political leaderships distance themselves from persons of questionable character. They would also try to develop measures to regulate campaign finance since 'dirty' money can contaminate the political process and buy favour for criminals. Something concrete has come out of this. The two parties are to send a delegation to Germany in a few months time to study the German system of regulating campaign contributions. The party leaders, Mr. Patterson and Mr. Golding, also agreed that their respective general secretaries should lead a process supporting a return to national civility through the Values and Attitudes programme.
I believe the prospects for an effective bipartisanship are good. PNP General Secretary and former Minister of Education, Burchell Whiteman, is particularly close to the Values and Attitudes programme and is a fitting person to make this work from the political side. JLP General Secretary and former member of the PNP, Karl Samuda, is a good person to have on the JLP's side if bipartisanship is to succeed.
Both Mr. Patterson, with a widely recognised reputation for transcending confrontational politics, and Mr. Golding, who is on record for wanting to abandon tribal politics, are the best persons to speak for their parties on this subject. The philosophy of this new bipartisanship is that now more than ever, there is need for as much consensus building as is compatible with a vibrant two-party parliamentary democracy.
When the leaders meet again in May, we hope to hear of more concrete progress to allay fears that this might just be another committee set up for appearance only. I believe we have the best chance now of making bipartisanship work, and these meetings are the place to begin to rebuild the moral authority of our political representatives and, as the National Committee on Crime and Violence said, to work towards a vision to build a 'safe, peaceful and prosperous Jamaica'. To make this happen the parties must also join in the resolve of the Minister of National Security that when it comes to making arrests, 'no one is immune. There are no exceptions. Political affiliation, social status or community of residence do not matter.'
The PNP has subsequently taken the first step to sensitise its leadership about the problems of crime and violence. At its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of March 20, Mr. Patterson called upon the party's politicians to stay away from persons of questionable character and for them to always be on their best behaviour. The NEC was treated to a video on how the Italian mafia wreaked violence in Italy and the costs of destroying it. The NEC then convened into workshops in which members discussed the plight of young people in communities, domestic violence, gang violence and political violence. The discussions will filter throughout the party structure.
INTERNAL AFFAIRS
Another thing that the parties can do is make their internal affairs commissions more active. The PNP had promised to "strengthen its Internal Affairs Commission to undertake its own investigations of any reports, rumours or suggestions of impropriety on the part of its members." There must, it added, "be a slate of progressive sanctions to ensure compliance with the party's principles and objectives and its constitution." It accepted that there is a "responsibility to ensure the observance of the highest standards of integrity and probity among all our cadres at all levels of the party." General secretaries can use the internal affairs commissions to ensure compliance with bipartisan agreements.
POLICE AND COMMUNITY
The National Committee on Crime and Violence also identified police-community relations, specifically excessive policing and tribalised communities with high unemployment as other problems. It recommended stopping the flow of guns, training and empowering legitimate leadership in the communities, building 'adopt-a-community' programmes with the private sector, institutionalising community policing, and finding ways to network, or twin communities to reduce divisions among them.
The Peace Management Initiative (PMI) is promoting ideas like adopt-a-community to create jobs. It agrees with the NCCV that community-based organisations must be used to counter the power base and influence of dons. It argues for MPs to make themselves available to the communities for peaceful intervention when disputes arise, since people will go to dons in their absence and dons are more likely to approach disputes with more violence. This is really a case for strong constituency management organisations which the Stone Committee had recommended more than 10 years ago. MPs by themselves do not have the skills nor the resources to do all that is expected of them. When the Vale Royal talks discuss constituency funding, it should address this issue as well. It is high time.
VIOLENT OUTBREAK
The public and the party leaders should bear in mind that the PMI believes there are 51 communities in Kingston that are at risk of violent outbreak at any time due to the presence of dons, guns and unemployment. Stronger policing and party constituency organisations are important. But it is also good to see that the Anglican Church has made it its mission to work against violence and uncivil behaviour. It wishes to do more to educate people about family life and healthy lifestyles. The NCCV had also cited the need for stronger parenting skills, especially in homes where children were at risk of abuse. It saw destabilised family structures as one of the problems that lead to antisocial behaviour, and the relative weakness of civil society in intervening and finding solutions. It is this regard that the PMI and the Church have a welcome role to play.
In the final analysis, people want politicians to take the lead. We well know that crime and violence also have a transnational dimension. The solution does not lie only in Jamaica and the cause is not merely local. Even so, we must make sure that our leaders, across the different sectors, resist involvement, and that our institutions can cleanse themselves of those who cannot. We will watch closely to see if the new bipartisanship matures into the restoration of moral authority of the political leaders and the credibility of the political parties. If parties want to govern, they must make sure that the society is governable.
Robert Buddan lectures in the Department of Government, UWI, Mona. You can send your comments to Robert.Buddan@uwimona.edu.jm or infocus@gleanerjm.com.
