The Editor, Sir:

It was the American novelist James Baldwin who expressed the following thought which so aptly applies to our situation in Jamaica today:

"If they come for me in the morning, they'll come for you in the evening. If you won't act to save others, then act to save yourself; for you may feel safe today, but under these conditions, no one is really safe."

The past week can be described as one of our bloodiest with more than 60 persons being killed at the hands of the gun. Mr Editor, in critically analysing our problem, we see that most of our murders are as a result of gang warfare arising from inter and intra-gang conflicts where relatives of gang members, both young and old are murdered as acts of reprisal.

Deeply entrenched

The truth of the matter though, is that before we reach the stage where the murders are committed, we have the formation of these gangs. These gangs upon forming become deeply entrenched in the structure and culture of their respective communities. Some may even share their ill-gotten 'wealth' with the community in true Robin Hood-style. But under those conditions, no one is really safe.

And so, I believe the stark reality is that we as a people must develop a total abhorrence to the formation of any gang in whatever shape, form or colour in our communities. And see them for what they really are: having the potential of unleashing total mayhem on our communities.

We must act

Mr Editor, we must not only talk, but we must act. Parents and relatives of these gang members must encourage them to leave these gangs and become productive citizens; failing which provide every bit of data, information and intelligence on them to the police.

In doing so, they might just be saving their very own lives. The Government too must act, by radically reshaping these communities that spawn the gangs through heavy and sustained development. The Ministry of Education and its partners must embark on a drive to eradicate the gang culture that seems to be overtaking our schools.

Mr Editor, the time for action is now, for under these conditions, no one, absolutely no one is really safe.

I am, etc.,

MICHAEL LAWRENCE

Research Associate

St. Mary, Jamaica