Gareth Manning, Sunday Gleaner Reporter

Blair

As the bloodbath washing the nation continues, the Bishop Herro Blair-led Peace Management Initiative (PMI) declared that it would be putting its resources into targeting gang leaders. Bishop Blair is also calling for the implementation of a gun amnesty.

"We have to find the gang leaders. No longer can we sit by and say they are gangsters and we have nothing to do with them," PMI Chairman Bishop Herro Blair tells The Sunday Gleaner.

"We have to let them know that in their name, innocent people are being killed and show them the importance of life and let them know that their problems can be solved in ways that are far different," Bishop Blair adds.

The move by the PMI comes in response to some 20 gruesome murders committed mostly in sections of the Corporate Area and St. Catherine over the last three days.

Obviously disturbed by the recent tragedies, Bishop Blair said there is urgent need for dialogue with the dons despite the PMI's policy not to deal with persons engaged in criminality.

"We have to let them know that their problems can be solved in a way far different from the guns, there can be dialogue," he says.

In addition to more dialogue, the PMI chairman says a gun amnesty is a prerequisite to pursuing peace. But, he says, in order to make progress, all players, including politicians and gang leaders, need to get on-board.

"All the players have to be on-board because if you have a gun, and I have one, I am not going to give up mine unless I know you give up yours," he asserts.

no cash exchange

His call for an amnesty is being supported by his vice-chairman and head of the Dispute Resolution Foundation, Donna Parchment, who adds that the amnesty has to be properly managed for it to be effective. She argues that the system cannot be one of exchange of guns for cash as the money can easily be used to buy another gun.

"It (an amnesty) can have a positive impact ... but (it has to be) exchanging guns for a little business ... so that it is not cash in hand to upgrade the old firearm you turned in," she states.

In addition, Parchment says the move towards restorative justice needs dedicated management and funding for it to achieve its goal. She advocates that Government should urgently fund the model of restorative justice identified in the Jamaica Justice Reform Task Force report.

social-welfare programme

Ms. Parchment is also suggesting that Government look more seriously at creating a social-welfare programme for the majority of youth at risk and provide tax concessions for businesses that create employment for young people.

Outspoken clergyman, Fr. Richard Albert, joins the call, stating that immediate attention needs to be given to the funding of social-intervention programmes. He says the programmes are reducing crime in volatile communities, but need more resources.

"The Bruce Golding-led Government has some challenges ahead of it. But if they can establish this independent board of police review and get some social intervention in these communities, then we are going to see the guns slowly but surely melt away," states Fr. Albert.