Michael Reckord, Contributor 
A pedestrian walks by the locked stores in Lane Plaza, St. Andrew on Wednesday as the private sector-led shutdown of businesses to protest against rising crime levels took effect.- NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
"HOW COME you're not at Emancipation Park, Artie?" I asked my young friend on Wednesday afternoon as we sipped lemonade on his verandah.
"I almost went, you know, Dads. But after an interview with a downtown businessman, I changed my mind."
"An interview that you taped, I suppose?"
Artie laughed. "Of course."
That answer didn't surprise me, though his absence from the PSOJ-sponsored mass protest at Emancipation Park had -- and for the same reason. Artie wants to be a reporter and is always trying to get and record interesting conversations he can convert into stories for the media.
"And am I going to hear the tape?" I asked.
Even before I'd finished the question, Artie had produced his tape recorder. He pressed the play button.
Artie: Good afternoon, sir. You're pulling down your shutters early today, though?
Man: Yeah man, I have to support the protest against the crime and violence. Six-thirty-odd murders in five months is just too much.
Artie: You heading for the rally in the park?
Man: That's right.
Artie: Tell me something, what's the purpose of the rally?
Man: It sounds like you not in favour of it.
Artie: I'm still trying to make up my mind. Help me by answering the question.
Man: We in the private sector want to send a strong, clear message that we can't take any more violence in our beloved country.
Artie: You have any idea how much this lockdown is costing the country?
Man: Ahm...millions, I guess.
Artie: You don't think it would be
cheaper to use the media to send the
message -- some ads in the papers and commercials on radio and TV?
Man: I--guess so.
Artie: But if you had the money to spend, you could've built a basic school.
Man: Ahm?
Artie: Who are you sending the message to?
Man: Government, of course.
Artie: You think members of the Government are criminals?
Man: Well, some of them condoning criminality. "The time has come for the people, the Government, the police and all Jamaicans to join together in this fight against the criminals responsible for the wanton and callous waste of lives,
including innocent children in the society."
Artie: Very nice quotation. But you should've made the call years ago.
Man: We did.
Artie: And the crime got worse?
Man: Well, yes.
Artie: So it may get worse again.
Man: I certainly hope not.
Artie: If it does, what will you in the
private sector do to solve the crime
problem -- send another multi-million dollar message?
Man: Ahm --
Turning off the tape recorder, Artie said, "He couldn't answer the question. So after he finished locking up the place, he went to an early movie. I came home."
"That's being cynical and defeatist, Artie. His going to the movies and your going home didn't help to solve the
problem either. You cynics still have a couple questions in that regard to answer, and urgently."
"What questions?"
"If not now, when?" I said. "If not us, who?"
