The Editor, Sir:

I would like to bring attention to some questionable activity observed on Wednesday, November 15, in an early morning police operation, in front of the market, in Mandeville. This operation was carried out, I was told, in connection with the prevention of praedial larceny. For this, the police were checking whether the carriers who happened to be there at such wee hours of the morning had a carrier's licence, a licence needed by those who operate a vehicle commercially.

Many people, as I was, were using their private vehicles to help a family member, or a friend who was bringing their goods to the market. Very strangely to me, the police didn't make any difference between the good Samaritans and those who were faulty, exercising their work without the right licence. Their cars were seized and taken to the municipal pound, and many of them were given a summons to appear in court on December 15!

Carrier's licence

To be able to recover my car quickly and avoid the $800 daily storage fee at the municipal pound, I was forced to agree with the suggestion made to me by the police superintendent to get this carrier's licence. I do not fit the profile of a person who operates a car commercially. I was only helping a struggling farmer who lives in a remote rural area to carry four bags of carrots to the market! And I can also speak for others - one carrying a bag of ginger and another one of yams for his mother; or two boxes of tomatoes and two bags of sorrel for his brother, or again a couple of bags of cabbage for his cousin who lives far in the mountains.

In my case, it cost me almost $14,000; altogether for my gesture of charity and the loss by the police of the papers for my car.

I agree with the fact that praedial larceny is a very important issue in this country and that it needs to be tackled. From what I read in the letter of the day (November 13, 2006) written by Senator Norman Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, his society, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of National Security (the police) are going to work together to protect the farmers in prevention of praedial larceny. Allow me to question what I saw on that Wednesday, in this matter.

Bad treatment

I saw brutality and disrespect from the police force, checking for car papers and in many cases with no regard with the goods that were carried there in hope of getting a little income after hard labour.

I saw many illegalities happening, such as a policeman accepting bribes - he could have refused; cancelling summons, writing ticket for acts different than the supposed offence, losing official papers, etc.

I saw a lot of confusion, on the operation site, at the police station.

By solidarity, I became a member of the Jamaica Agricultural Society. To me, agriculture, together with tourism, should be the spine of the economy of this country (bauxite being a non-renewable resource). We have to combine all our efforts in a positive way to get to reach the full potential of beautiful Jamaica. What I saw will in no way achieve this goal, and a better life for the majority of the citizens.

Let's try again in another way!

I am, etc.,

LISE BOUFFARD

liseboufard03@hotmail.com