THE EDITOR, Sir:
APPROXIMATELY TWO years ago when I heard that the former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani was doing a satellite presentation as a part of the JMMB leadership conference, I was excited as I wanted to hear every word that this dynamic leader had to say about how he turned around the troubled city of New York. I listened with bated breath as he spoke because I was positive that somewhere in his speech would be the solutions/answers to the many problems we are faced with here in Jamaica.
During his presentation, Mr. Giuliani highlighted some factors that we here in Jamaica had attempted to utilise in taking back our country. He, however, said one thing that remains with me to this day. A part of his strategy for turning around New York city was that he worked with 'one goal' at a time. He did not move on to the next goal until the first goal was successfully completed and as such he was able to focus on achieving the desired outcome.
As the spiralling crime rate, indiscipline and rampant disregard for the lives of our citizens continue, I sit and ponder on those words uttered by Mayor Giuliani and I thought that there is a lesson here for Jamaica.
Today, I am saying to the leaders of this country, Govern-ment, Opposition, PSOJ, citizens, press, security forces, Jamaicans for Justice and the churches that we need to take back Jamaica one goal at a time.
Over the years, we have seen different sectors of our country implementing different initiatives to fight the varying problems being experienced. There have been initiatives after initiatives; as a matter of fact there have been overlapping initiatives, there have been nicely worded action plans and that is exactly what they were "nicely worded plans".
As a nation, we are basically falling over ourselves in our attempts to put in place one failed intervention after another. Everything is being done piecemeal and not together.
My recommendation is for all the parties mentioned above to come together and set one goal for the ensuing year (just one goal), this goal could be one of anything. A large majority of persons living in Jamaica might indicate that the number one goal of this country is to fight crime. What we must remember is that there are many contributing factors that result in an increased crime rate: literacy rate, lack of opportunities and the living standards of the poor. What we have been doing as a nation is to become consumed and frustrated at our failed attempts to fight crime and as such we have given up in our efforts to fight the smaller problems contributing to crime.
It will be totally impossible to take back Jamaica overnight. I have seen where we have attempted to do so and have failed miserably in our attempts. We need to take back Jamaica one step at a time one goal at a time. We must successfully complete the simplest of goals before moving on to bigger more difficult ones.
The PSOJ has recently launched a platform from which this can be achieved. Whilst some persons might not take kindly to the timing of the PSOJ intervention and thought the move hypocritical, it is still a good platform to bring together all the parties in this country to decide on that one goal at a time.
I am, etc.,
CHRISTINE STEWART-NEMBHARD
csn64@hotmail.com
