Why should only the poor obey the law? That seemed to be the question that a former minister of national security was trying to ask recently, during a very interesting and comprehensive discussion on crime on the Breakfast Club.

After touching on a number of different areas, the question arose: should dons be allowed to be the beneficiary of government contracts? Naturally, there was an overwhelming 'no' and it was even conceded that the National Contracts Commissions had made some progress in this area, but at the level of subcontractors there remained a problem.

Then Dr Peter Phillips asked the bombshell question: Shouldn't the issue of lawbreakers benefiting from government contracts not extend to business persons who illegally operate in residential areas?

Epitome of illegality

You could have hit me down with a straw when I heard that coming from Dr Phillips, of all people, for his constituency is the epitome of this form of illegality.

Thank God for conversions, because for years Dr Phillips has been in a position to deal with blatant breaking of the law in that area, yet he failed to so to do.

Of course, the chief enforcing agency for this problem in the Corporate Area is the Kingston and St Andrew Corporation, but for decades it has preferred to send its officers to chase down people selling a few cigarettes, guineps and other small items to prevent their children from starving, while ignoring the blatant lawlessness of well-heeled business people.

I am, etc.,

JOAN WILLIAMS

greatestj@hotmail.com