Colonel Trevor MacMillan's forced resignation on Monday brought a halt to an uneventful tenure as national security minister.

With 2008 being the second-bloodiest year on record in Jamaica's history - with 1,611 homicides - it came as no surprise when MacMillan was shown the door. Effectively, it was a case of: Hit the road, Mac, don't come back no more, no more.

But the writing was on the wall since earlier this year. At a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) rally in St Catherine in January, Prime Minister Bruce Golding addressed gang violence that caused residents to flee their homes in Gravel Heights and Tredegar Park.

For Golding, the gunplay in those communities reflected the state of crime in the country.

"What I will say to you is that I am not satisfied that we are doing all that we can do, or all that we must do to bring this crime under control. And, therefore, there is more that has to be done and there are more steps that will have to be taken," Golding said.

MacMillan walked the plank less than a year after he was assigned to one of the most demanding jobs in Jamaican politics. Dwight Nelson, minister without portfolio in the prime minister's office, has been appointed Jamaica's third security minister in less than two years. Ironically, the 69-year-old MacMillan's resignation came three days after Police Commissioner Hardley Lewin announced that there was an encouraging drop in major crimes.

Not yet implemented

MacMillan, a former Jamaica Defence Force soldier, replaced the ailing Smith as national security minister in May last year. His appointment was hailed by private-sector leaders who recalled his tough stance against corruption while he was head of the Revenue Protection Division and commissioner of police.

Most of the recommendations of the MacMillan Report he was commissioned to spearhead by then Opposition, the Jamaica Labour Party, in 2006 have yet to be implemented. Among those recommendations are an amendment of libel laws, establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission, and termination of government contracts for community dons.

howard.campbell@gleanerjm.com