THE EDITOR, Sir:YOUR CONTRIBUTOR Don Robotham writing in The Sunday Gleaner of August 17, said "It is obvious that the only solution to our crime crisis is some form of preventive detention without trial."
Preventive detention is not a solution to our crime crisis. It is unconstitutional and a dangerous proposal that should be condemned by all. Preventive detention was used in the Soviet Union and Grenada and represented a tool of the ruling party to oppress its opponents. It was also used here in Jamaica, during the State of Emergency in 1976. It did not solve the crime problem then, neither will it solve it now.
In fact such a policy will, as usual, be targeted against the poor and those who stand up for justice and fair-play. More poor people have been arrested under the Litter Act while demonstrating than for throwing refuse in public places. Notice how the Money Laundering Act is being used against all and sundry rather than against big drug dealers? Don Robotham should remember that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions".
Mr. Robotham's proposal is also based on false assumptions. He blames the "queasy legal situation" and "lords of law safely sequestered in London!"
The impression given by Mr. Robotham is that the Privy Council will side with the drug dealers against the Commissioner of Police and the Minister of National Security. This is arrant nonsense and contrary to the facts.
I challenge Mr. Robotham to name even one case where the Privy Council sided with drug dealers against any Caribbean Government.
The Privy Council in 1999 upheld the execution of the infamous Trinidadian drug dealer and murderer Dole Chadee and eight others.
The Privy Council upheld the extradition of three drug dealers from St. Kitts including the infamous Charles (Little Nut) Miller, who had Shower Posse connections.
I urge Mr. Robotham to tell us what was the Privy Council attitude to the cases of the local Shower Posse members who were fighting extradition from Jamaica to the United States. The truth is the Privy Council ruled in favour of the Government in all the extradition cases that went before them.
Both the British and U.S. authorities have made headway against Jamaican gangs and drug dealers, while retaining habeas corpus, and a policy of trial for those detained. What these overseas police authorities have done is to ensure patient, scientific and full investigation of suspects. They also work closely with Government prosecutors to secure convictions. There is currently nothing in our laws preventing this approach. We can do it without descending to the destruction of the fundamental rights guaranteed to our people by the Constitution.
I am, etc.,
LAMBERT BROWN
50 Lady Musgrave Road,
Kingston 10.
labpoyh@yahoo.com
