Heather Robinson
AMONG THE best friends that garbage has are rats. These rats rummage through household and commercial garbage for food. During the process of seeking food for their daily survival, they create tremendous hazards for human beings. The first is the unsightly mess that they leave behind, having feasted on the things that we, as human beings, have discarded. Sometimes, one is forced to wonder if the mess that has been created at one's gate was really done by a vermin weighing less than one pound.
Secondly, and most importantly, by feeding on our garbage, we are brought into contact with these rats at a level that our medical people tell us can be deadly through the transmission of leptospirosis.
Driving up Collie Smith Drive near midday on Wednesday, I saw Deputy Superintendent Bish supervising the removal of garbage and roadblocks in this South St. Andrew community. The remains of the old Ambassador Theatre are now visible, and the place is beginning to look like a place for human beings and not for rats. It has been reported that since the police began its now sustained operation in that community, some of the gunmen have 'run away'. I suspect that the same is true for some of the rats that were living in the garbage in that community. It is a pity that we were not able to catch all the rats as they ran for new cover once their hideouts were being dismantled.
HIDING INFORMATION
Recently, I had a very distur-bing conversation with one of my friends. His daughter and several of her friends were traumatised by the murder of one of their friends. The police were in desperate need of information to try and arrest the murderers. It soon became apparent that there were persons who could assist the police, but were reluctant to do so. My good friend used his best communication and persuasive skills to get the persons to tell what they knew.
He pointed out that there was no point keeping the information a secret, while at the same time abusing the Government and the police force for not being able to reduce the number of murders in Jamaica. He was successful in getting persons with information to help the police.
I have always advocated that Jamaicans must tell the police what they know about criminal activity in our country. 2005 has ended with some 1,600 murders. Let us make some basic assumptions about these murders. Assume that each murder was committed by a different person (which we know is not so). Assume then we have 1,600 murderers at large (we know the police have arrested and killed some). Why is it so hard to find 1,600 murderers in Jamaica? What have you done to assist the police in preventing yourself from becoming these murderers' latest victim?
In the same way that the Government cannot try and assume total responsibility for the obliteration of the rats in our country, it is the same way that we as citizens have to assume some responsibility for our own lives.
Government, the minister, the commissioner and the entire police force cannot protect us when we choose not to tell the police what we know. For 2006, let us resolve to tell the police what we know, so that wherever there are 'two-foot' or four-foot rats trying to escape, we will be there to alert the police and the National Solid Waste Manage-ment Authority of their imminent escape. And, further can you imagine a Jamaica where all the places that garbage once occupied a permanent place being overwhelmed by bougainvillea plants in full bloom. Not many criminals want to hide in such thorny company.
Heather Robinson is a life underwriter and former Member of Parliament.
