THE EDITOR, Sir:
A RECENT report from an international monitoring agency stated that Colombia, Jamaica and South Africa, in that order, have the highest murder rate per capita in the world, with Colombia having 78 per 100,000, people, Jamaica 59 and South Africa 43.
How did we evolve from a sleepy banana/sugar cane plantation culture in approximately 50 years to become the second highest murder capital of the world?
We have introduced 'smart' cards on buses and imported 'smart' cops to fight crime. But while the 'smart cards' work, the 'smart cops' don't seem to work. The police continually call for more resources - more personnel, helicopters, vehicles, guns, computers, ballistics, forensic science etc., and while this may catch a few more criminals, it does not solve the problem.
I suspect that crime and violence in today's Jamaica is a combina-tion of many factors, including inadequate education, drugs, corruption, extortion, political tribalism, and the quest for political power by any means necessary, alienation, marginalisation, neglect, repatriation of Jamaica-born first world-bred criminals and, to some extent, poverty and other factors.
The only people who can influence and change the crime and violence scenario in Jamaica are the very people that are the victims of crime and violence. They know who the criminals are, where they are, where, when and why the crimes were committed. The Government should hold a symposium at the National Arena, for as long as it takes, and invite people to come and give their views on crime and violence with suggestions as to how we can solve the problem. This may sound naive, but it may be well worth a try.
I am, etc.,
AL RICHARDS
Alfonz112@cwjamaica.com.
