THE EDITOR, Sir:
Less than 48 hours after praising the security forces for their professionalism and after losing his seventh consecutive election, Mr. Seaga has once again launched a verbal attack on the said security force. His attack on the Commissioner appears to be most vitriolic and certainly defies logic.
For several weeks after the event of 9/11, firemen in New York who had lost relatives and colleagues continued to submerge themselves passionately in rescue and recovery efforts at the disaster site.
Many psychologists shared the view that they were merely postponing the inevitable, i.e. dealing with their own trauma. Is Mr. Seaga unconsciously adopting a similar strategy? After all, on election night he did say some would have to go home and consider their future, obviously a traumatic process for some. Is this attack on the security force merely a deflection?
Someone once said, "Man's last frontier will be himself," how true! Is Seaga afraid to face the man in the mirror or is he skilfully diverting attention from the real problem of the JLP. Former Police Comissioner, Colonel Trevor MacMillan, was deemed ineffective by Seaga at a time when he would not acquiesce to Seaga's bidding and now it is Commissioner Francis Forbes' turn to be vilified. So many leaders in this country have been attacked by Seaga that many in the population genuinely believe he does not like them. Perhaps the security forces or even the Commissioner himself may eventually be blamed for his failure at the polls.
I propose that the problems in West Kingston are rooted in sheer criminality and must not be confused by politics. Criminal gunmen must be seen for what they are. They must be ostracised by all well-thinking Jamaicans. Only then will they be sufficiently exposed to be effectively dealt with according to law.
Mr. Seaga must stop victimising the security forces and allow them to do their job without political pressure. Seaga must now in his twilight years strive to acquire that all-elusive image of a statesman. He must now work with the security forces to rid his enclave of gunmen. He must become a part of the solution and not appear to be a part of the problem. He must now confront his greatest challenge, that is the man in the mirror.
I am, etc.,
A. ENNIS
2 Donehurst Avenue
Kingston 10
