The Editor, Sir:

I have a serious concern about the current activities in this our beloved country. Events in recent times have shown that Jamaicans are fast losing their basic standards of morality, decency, justice and civility.

There is something radically wrong with a society if there is not outright respect for the laws of the land. It must be offensive when a crowd of residents in a community decides to take the law into their hands seeking to have the police deliver an accused wrongdoer into their hands for their own form of justice.

I now believe that many persons have lost their own sense of right and wrong. The two recent events in Clarendon give credence to this view. From news reports, the police did their jobs as required but mobs of unruly people decided to lock down the May Pen town for a time! Another set in the Chapelton area made unreasonable demands on the police, proceeding to destroy both public and private property! All wrongdoers deserve punishment by the law!

I am calling upon all persons of good judgement and fair play to seek to influence those around them to display greater care, compassion and understanding to all persons in their neighbourhood. Even those who have committed wrong remain God's creation and as long as we remain a civilised society, we must allow the wrongdoers to have their day in court. Let us all endeavour to return this island to a true sense of morality and civility in our lifetime. When good men do nothing evil, conquers. Think on these things!

I am, etc.,

BURCHELL A. SAMUELS

Burch.samuels@yahoo.com

Clarendon Gardens

May Pen P.O