THE EDITOR, Sir:
YOUR EDITORIAL page of May 8 was very interesting. There were four main articles and a cartoon. Pride of place was given to Peter Espeut. He spoke of crime and, speaking as a sociologist, came to the conclusion that there will never be an end to violent crime in Jamaica as long 'as the genetic link between politics and the armed militias in the garrisons remains intact'.
Next to this was an article by Delroy Chuck, a politician (and lawyer), whose main thrust was that 'Jamaica and the business community should provide the thousands of needed jobs'. He states that 'while the boardrooms and our commercial entities count their mounting profits, the corners of our inner cities engage in strategies to survive'.
Hilary Robertson-Hickling, in a letter to the editor, avers that 'we have difficulty holding our leaders, parents and business people ... accountable for what they have done'. And, leading all of this, is the editorial which praises Worthy Park Estate for being the most successful entity in the sugar industry so much so that, in this era of a rapidly contracting industry, they are seeking to expand.
Finally, Las May speaks to something that is now dawning on us - the extortion racket strangling the country.
What strikes us about this page is the fact that everyone: sociologist, lawyer/politician, academic, journalist and cartoonist, suggests a way forward (or at least identifies what needs to be done). They do not seem to agree yet they are all quite correct. Politicians and public figures must find the will to separate themselves from criminals; business and public sector must provide more jobs, the extortionists must be brought to book; public and private entities, and people generally, must all hold ourselves accountable for what we do.
JOBS MUST BE PROVIDED
Let us not fool ourselves - we can do these, but only if we have money. Jobs must be provided for the youth, who must be educated and trained. Even when we can't find permanent jobs for all, temporary (crash programme) or seasonal employment must be made available. People then would not depend on political patronage. We need to equip the police, pay them more and employ more of them in order to challenge the extortionists - who are known to have 'bought' many a policeman.
So what's the relevance of Worthy Park? Simple. Only when our business community, the so-called 'productive sector', really shows creativity, enterprise, vitality and imagination so that we can increase our productivity, will we be able to think of providing more jobs. We have seen successive governments try their best to satisfy what this sector demands. They have not responded. When they do, there will be fuller employment. Government will then get more revenue, so education will benefit and the police will benefit, crash programmes can be implemented when necessary. The climb upward will begin.
It is time for this sector to step forward. In the past, every time businessmen have clamoured for something, it turned out to be that it would benefit them personally and not really set the stage for the type of development the nation needs. Are they really interested? Or capable?
I am, etc.,
KEITH A. I. NOEL
Principal of St. Jago
High School
