THE EDITOR, Madam:
I AM most amazed that, at this point in our history, most Jamaicans feel that only 'foreigners' can solve our problems. Now we are all at panic stations calling on the Prime Minister to break his holiday to return home to fight crime.
All now ask for foreign help in solving this spate of crime, but is not our job collectively to find solutions to this grave problem. Of course the Government must act decisively, but please remember that all members in Government and the opposition are Jamaicans and they have the same failings as the other members of the country and so we must let them know loud and clear, but not in panic-stricken tones, that the problem must be solved and we all can help.
Why do we not ensure that mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, cousins and good friends do not help murderers. Do they not realise that the blood of the innocent is on their hands.
Why do we allow dons to take over the communities. Do we not ask where the money comes from for them to act as 'godfathers'. Do read the history of the Mafia in America and see what damage it did to that country. We must know that it is protection money and that it is the death of business which we need so badly.
Why do we litter the streets with garbage and fill our gullies and rivers with garbage. Do we not know that this is bad for our health and for the ecology of the country.
Why do we not send our children to school and why do we not set them an example that crime does not pay but instead we teach them to steal and beg.
Why do we tear each other down? Why don't we build each other up and in so doing, build up the nation? We should all start thinking about taking back our country from the criminals. We must collectively take the fight to them showing no quarter and we must teach our young that this is their country and they must thrive to protect it from the evil ones among us.
The foreign help we ask for should be technology and training of our security services.
I am, etc.,
BARBARA COVER
47 Glendon Circle
Kingston 20
