THE EDITOR, Sir:
I WAS FORCED to consult my Concise Oxford Dictionary to refresh my memory on the meaning of the word 'jungle'.
It says -
"Jungle n. (area of) land overgrown with underwood or tangled vegetation, esp. in tropics, (law of the , state of ruthless competition); scene of ruthless struggle for survival (blackboard jungle in schools, concrete jungle in cities); wild tangled mass."
A man goes to visit a relative in jail. There is an attempted jailbreak.
The man is shot at point blank range, beaten with batons, kicked and later handcuffed to a hospital bed.
He is subsequently released without any charge, pending or otherwise. He did not have a gun nor a knife, was not seen to have had a gun.
His crime is that he is black and poor and has a relative in jail.
This forced me to consult my dictionary again and refresh my memory on the word 'justice'.
It says:
"Justice n - just conduct; fairness; exercise of authority in maintenance of right, due allocation of reward of virtue and punishment of vice".
Clearly, we in Jamaica live in a 21st century jungle that is unmatched anywhere else completely devoid of any justice.
It is quite clear that no justice can prevail in a jungle it is survival of the fittest, the meanest and the corrupted.
So what are we going to do about it? What is the Government going to do?
The police take in a man (don) for 'questioning' that is known to be a criminal, if not for hard evidence for several murders, then certainly for extortion.
The citizenry, through fear or whatever, blocks roads and burns debris in protest. The police capitulate. The 'don' or 'father', as he is called, is allowed to continue in his ways. He, too, pays protection money to the people for his security against the police. 'Is father sen mi pickney dem a school'.
And so fear stalks the land in all quarters. How are we going to climb out of this nightmare in which we have found ourselves?
'Keep you damn mouth shut' and hope to stay alive.
I am, etc.,
AL RICHARDS
alfonz112@cwjamaica.com
