THE EDITOR, Sir:
OUR BEAUTIFUL country has now degenerated into being the world's leading 'roadblock democracy' (RD) where gunmen act with impunity, corruption and lawlessness is on the way to being a way of life and the citizenry block roads and burn tyres to demand justice or kindly ask for basic amenities such as water, light, roads and respect.
It is ominously symbolic that members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force should have exercised their roadblock democratic rights in order to get the attention of the Minister of Finance and ultimately the Government.
There we have a perfect example being set and one is left to ask which set of professionals will be next to exercise their entrenched RD rights in pressing for increased wages. It could be the teachers, the soldiers, firemen or some other group and will the police then attempt to arrest or restrain them while doing so.
When all the sound-biting is over, there needs to be an approach to find out and tackle the root cause of our present predicament to tackle unemployment, poverty, crime and hopelessness in communities across Jamaica, not only focusing on the urban inner cities but also rural communities.
We are at the edge of a precipice and we must apply the brakes now before it is too late and there is no one left to either speak or to act.
I am, etc.,
MICHAEL SPENCE
Micspen2hotmail.com
P.O Box 630
Kingston 6
