No deterrent to crimeI must say I am disappointed with the sentence imposed on one of the murderers of Senator Dwight Nelson's son. Now, my concern is, are we dispensing justice when our judiciary imposes such moderate punishment for such grave crimes?
Murder is a capital offence, thus, the penalty should be death or life in prison. Considering the high murder rates in Jamaica, it is my humble opinion that we need to impose stiffer penalties for murder and other serious crimes.
Although I would recommend public flogging for every grave offence, including illegal possession of firearm, human rights activists/groups may not take too kindly to that.
Maybe we should just stop short of public flogging and introduce the chain gang. Who knows, we may very well break the spirit of the 'shottas' and ultimately halt the runaway crime rates in Jamaica.
- Leroy Plumette, iamcinu_all@yahoo.com, Damascus, Syria, Via Go-Jamaica
Decline of civilityI believe Jamaica should focus more on proper English and behaviour in the classroom. Social behaviour and respect are rapidly declining in our society.
In less than a month here in Toronto, a 15-year-old was shot and killed inside a school by a teenager, and on July 22, an 11-year-old was killed by a stray bullet from gangs in a shoot-out.
The mayor keeps saying: "We have to get rid of the guns," but I believe in cause and effect. The problem goes much further.
When the government took Bible reading and discipline out of the schools, the kids said freedom, hence the decline of civility, and it appears this is the norm throughout North America.
- Amos Johnson, jimj67@rogers.com, North York, Ontario, Canada, Via Go-Jamaica
Look backJamaicans are going to vote again soon. The major political parties, as usual, come out with their shallow promises and condemnation of each other. This has been going on since 1972.
We have lost 35 years to this ignorant and disrespectful behaviour by our politicians. They need to go back and revive the style of Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley.
Last, if the crime situation is not changed back to how Jamaica was in the years prior to 1966, then the island will continue to stagnate.
God bless.
- Greg Simpson, ajusto@hotmail.com, New Mexico, U.S.A., Via Go-Jamaica
