THE EDITOR, Sir:

THE FORMER minister of national security during the previous People's National Party administration once stated that the crime situation in Jamaica needed "strong and resolute measures'' to combat those who are wreaking mayhem in the society, but he was torn to bits by the then members of the Opposition and the human-rights organisations for seeking to formulate laws that would deny Jamaican citizens of their human rights.

Bag-o-mout

Today, now that those who opposed then are in the driver's seat, they are proposing the same 'strong and resolute measures' to tackle the crime problem. So, was it just a 'bag-o-mout' coming from the then Opposition and its supporters, and the promised crime plan was basically just the same as existed under the previous government? At least, the human-rights organisations have remained constant and are still sticking to their legal points of human rights.

The fact is the Jamaica Labour Party never disclosed its crime plan during the election campaign, it was a state secret. Now that it is delivered, what's new? Maybe if they had told the then minister of security that their plan was the same as his and worked at it together, who to tell what the situation might be today?

No compromise

But, giving up some rights for the sake of a better society may not sit well with most of us because, most times, those whose rights are forfeited are the innocent when the proper methods are not in place to nab the perpetrators of these crimes.

In more civilised societies, when you are detained, you are read your rights, but here, it seems when you are detained, you are rights are dead. So, do I hear those who opposed then supporting now? Oh how our standards are easily shifted to suit our political commitments.

Nero continues to fiddle while Rome continues to burn and there seems to be no fire engines in sight.

I am, etc.,

MICHAEL DUNN

micberd@yahoo.com

Via Go-Jamaica