The Editor, Sir:

It is with utter disgust and frustration that I write this letter to express my disappointment at the way the JAS and the Government are tackling the problem of praedial larceny.

The problem of praedial larceny cannot be solved by the issuing of receipts for agricultural products purchased. It cannot be solved by the issuing of trail bikes. It cannot be solved by the placing of a praedial larceny officer at every police station. The old maxim that prevention is better than cure still holds true. After a product is stolen from a farmer, to find it is like looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. We, therefore, need to put preventive measures in place which will deter would-be thieves, and not try to catch them after the event.

Community policing

To this end, district constables and agricultural wardens should be assigned to work in their respective communities, where they can adopt a hands-on approach to community policing. They should be given extra compensation for every praedial larceny conviction they get. There needs to be more police road blocks both day and night to try and catch those transporting their ill-gotten gains e.g. citrus, seed-lings, cattle, goats, etc..

Health Inspectors and those who certify carcasses at both public and private abattoirs should be asked to join the 'get rid of praedial larceny' campaign, by reporting suspicious behaviour to the police with the hope that they will investigate questionable persons, and if arrested, they will be speedily tried. Mr. Editor, as I read of or hear of the losses of my fellow farmers daily, I just can't help but wonder, where is the motivation and the encouragement for the younger generation to enter into farming which is dying in Jamaica? The cancerous tentacles of praedial larceny are firmly attached to its jugular.

I am, etc.,

A.S JACKSON

Chapelton