The Editor, Sir:

Today (September 29), I read in The New York Daily News that 354 people have been murdered in New York City since the beginning of the year. The writer of this article was bemoaning the fact that this has been a slight increase over last year's figure, and was urging the authorities to urgently do something.

Some perspective

Let us put these numbers into perspective. New York City has a population of just under nine million people. Its population is varied, comprising people of many different races, nationalities, religious backgrounds and beliefs.

It is also made up of the very rich who live in palatial homes at upscale addresses and the very poor who live in cardboard boxes and forage for food in garbage containers.

Yet, despite the differences in culture and socio-economic backgrounds, the murder rate in such a relatively vast population is currently 354.

Compare this figure with that of Jamaica, a largely homogenous society of fewer than three million people and the disparity is glaring (murder toll over 1200 last year; up to 1145 by mid-September this year)

But New York City was not always like this. Under the previous mayor, David Dinkins, crime was out of control. The number of people murdered was in the thousands. People and businesses left the city in droves. The economy suffered almost to the point of collapsing.

Tackling crime

Successive administrations implemented a no-nonsense approach to crime-fighting and the city survived. Today, it is one of the safest and most progressive cities in the United States.

Jamaica can also survive and grow. All it demands from its leaders is the will to lead. This requires guts and determination. Like New York City, Jamaica can also rise like a phoenix and reclaim its title as the 'Pearl of the Caribbean'.

I am, etc.,

RANDY VASELLI

RVasse5@optonline.net

Brooklyn, New York