Devon Dick

On the weekend, I had some interesting encounters with some men, one of whom said "Jamaica is one big coffin and we can be buried anytime". He bemoaned that he had been making that statement for a while but he has been ignored. The context for the statement was his reflection on a friend who had died in January, the killings that had taken place that morning and the funeral he was attending. The response of his friend was that he was saving as much money as he can so that he can buy a visa.

The other encounter happened when my car failed on the road and some men were gracious in helping me. They claimed that they do not believe in politicians. One related how the previous night he heard gunshots in the area. They lamented the destruction of their community. They blamed the MP for introducing gunmen into the community and for distributing guns and ammunition. I told them that that MP states that he does not deal with gunmen. He gave me convincing information about the MPs' gun dealings. They then asked if I was a politician and I told them that I was a pastor to which one replied that they are one and the same.

These reflections by some males have much to do with the spike in murder rate we are experiencing. It is far too easy for a Jamaican to get killed. It is as if we are already in the coffin just waiting our turn to be buried.

In addition, the relationship between politics and guns needs to be broken. The Police High Command has information on guns, drugs and politics and nothing happens.

Criminal activities

Concerning the Trafigura affair, I assert that it appeared to me that there were "criminal activities" and "the law needs to take it course" - October 10, 2006. Yet, the police have not done any investigation.

Recently, CAFFE made the allegation that Ministers of State Warmington and Montague appeared to be in breach of two acts of the law. I bet you that neither the commissioner with responsibility for crime nor the DPP will investigate and determine whether they publicly committed a criminal offence. Do you realise that no politician has ever been convicted while his or her party is in power?

Political practices

When the first British cop was appointed, I said it would not work and instead advocated that we adopt the best British policing practices. Subsequently October 11, 2005, I said of Mark Shields, "what happened in Tivoli must mark as a failure on his part. From May, he identified the killers and their location. And in October, they have not been brought to justice". This was before the Bob Woolmer fiasco. Yet still, the new Minister of Security, after admitting that all Jamaicans expected more of the British cops, said he intended to continue the failed PNP strategy of bringing in British personnel. The PNP employed an army man to run the constabulary and it did not affect the murder rate. But we are doing the same thing again and expecting a different result.

In an article October 11, 2005, I said: "When leaders are serious about murders and crime, then garrisons will be dismantled ... Churches will put more of their possessions and personnel to fight crime. Businesses will reduce profit margins ... Government will pay the police a liveable wage and provide adequate resources to fight crime ... Communities will not harbour criminals and community leaders will mobilise the citizens to provide intelligence ..."

The police have asked for the use of the voting fingerprint database in crime fighting. This has not been granted. However, we give up fingerprint to visit U.S.A. We are not serious about the high murder rate. Instead, we are content in just lying in, waiting in, one big coffin.