JAMAICANS LIVING in the United Kingdom (UK) have a passion, a driving interest in Jamaica and things Jamaican. They are critical partners in moving Jamaica ahead.
Because the major migration to the UK ended in the 1960s UK Jamaicans are part of an older, more established community than the Jamaican groupings in North America. Most own their own homes and plan to retire in the mountains of Mandeville or other parts of rural Jamaica.
They feel frustrated that their love affair with Jamaica is not mirrored by greater communication from Jamaica's leaders. There is only the occasional visit from the Prime Minister, and even more occasionally his colleague ministers. The business associations such as the PSOJ, the Chamber of Commerce have no overseas chapters. The group that has done the best job of keeping in touch is the church. Jamaicans abroad flock to their churches, not only to praise their Lord, but also to be part of a Jamaican group.
The recent initiative of Minister of National Security Dr. Peter Phillips, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, the PSOJ, and the two corporate sponsors of the visit, The Gleaner Company and Jamaica National Building Society, was a pioneering activity. It was a real attempt by a group of Jamaican organisations some public, some private to build better communication between Jamaicans here and there.
COURAGEOUS EXPERIMENT
It was a courageous experiment. Crime is of major concern in Jamaica, throughout the UK, and especially for residents returning home. So serious is the fear of crime, it has led UK Jamaicans to retire in Florida rather than Jamaica. To talk about such a hot subject to a new and so passionate an audience needs courage, as Jamaican questioners are not renowned for brevity and tend to follow the current fashion of lambasting Jamaica and leadership of all kinds.
The Manchester Town Hall is an awe-inspiring building filled with lofty roofs and history. It cost one million pounds to build in 1887. One of the highlights of the hall is the Great Hall with its 12 large murals by Ford Madox Brown, the celebrated Pre-Raphaelite painter. Jamaicans saw the tile mosaic work, the vaulted corridors and the three stone spiral staircases.
The audience to the first 'The Effect of Crime on Jamaica' seminar was attended by over 100 well-established Jamaicans from surrounding cities. Dr. Phillips spoke about his commitment to fight crime and his concern about the extent and influence of the drug transhipment sector. Deputy Commissioner Lucius Thomas spoke strongly about the anti-crime initiatives of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. Senior Superintendent Carl Williams had a riveting PowerPoint presentation with many arresting visuals giving facts about the quantity of drugs and other assets seized, the operation of go-fast boats from Colombia moving through Jamaican waters, the use of the ion-scan machine and its success in reducing swallower-couriers moving cocaine into the UK. Photographs of dominoes, coat hangers, crab backs, cracker packs and even soap all made out of cocaine focused the audience's attention.
SERIOUS ISSUES
Although most of the audience did not know what the PSOJ was all about, they welcomed this programme of meetings which brought some important public officials from Jamaica to talk to them about serious issues. There were questions about the need for better education, poverty reduction, and the creation of jobs. Dr. Phillips made the point that the drug dealer is not a poor person and most poor people are not criminals.
Phillips, Thomas and Williams spoke about the increasing levels of co-operation between the law enforcement agencies in Jamaica and their counterparts in Britain, the USA, Canada and Colombia. The case was made for new legislation which would allow for the easier confiscation of assets obtained through drug dealing, the taking and retention of the fingerprints of arrested persons, and plea bargaining.
IMPROVED LAW ENFORCEMENT
In all the meetings there was discussion about the need to use the proceeds arising from the disposal of drug/criminal assets seized for improved law enforcement. The low ratio of police to population in Jamaica versus the rest of the Caribbean seems ironic bearing in mind Jamaica's much higher level of crime. The inability to replace police vehicles and provide other necessary material for police work was difficult to remedy in a weak economy.
One of the big prisons that house many Jamaican female drug couriers is sited near Manchester. A number of warders attended the meeting. There was concern expressed by the prison authorities that the prisons were not doing enough to provide West Indian food for these inmates!
These were issues discussed at previous meetings over the last year in Jamaica, Fort Lauderdale, Toronto, and New York.
The Birmingham Town Hall is only slightly less impressive than Manchester's. Birmingham Town Hall is a Grade 1 listed building. Designed by Joseph Hanson, of Hanson cab fame and begun in 1832. Hanson went bankrupt during construction, having tendered too low, but the building was completed in 1834. Charles Dickens gave public readings here, and Mendelssohn's Elijah and Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius were both premiered. Birmingham now has three universities and over 60,000 students. Although it was the scene of rioting on the occasion of a visit by Lloyd George in 1901, the 2003 Jamaican meeting was a model of good order.
There are numerous Jamaicans elected as councillors and mayors of nearby towns. The Birmingham audience appeared well established and somehow more integrated, not only racially but also economically, into the mainstream, as compared to the London community.
Phil Sinkinson, Deputy British High Commissioner in Jamaica, spoke about the support given to the police by the British Government. Although he, like others of the speakers, was unable to describe what 'Yardie' bars are imported into Jamaica from the UK.
Sir Bill Morris, recently retired head of Britain's largest union, the Transport and General Workers Union, attended all three of the UK meetings and competently chaired the Birmingham and London meetings. Jamaica must be grateful that someone of Sir Bill's stature he is probably the most respected person of Caribbean origin in the UK is so deeply concerned about the future of
Jamaica. The growth of crime is not limited to Jamaica. Neither is the uncertainty of how to deal with it. The Metropolitan Police have established a special unit, numbering many hundreds of policemen, to deal with black on black crime the Trident squad. As that unit becomes more effective this crime spreads to other areas. Comparable units are being established in many urban areas of the UK. The Assistant Chief Constable of the West Midlands Police, Stuart K. Hyde, received extended applause when he spoke to acknowledge that crime was not only a problem in Jamaica but just about everywhere. He promised the support of his police area force to assist Jamaica.
In London, there are Baron-esses, QCs, JPs, Scotland Yard Deputy Commissioners, accountants, newspaper reporters, businessmen, local councillors, the new Chief Constable for Kent Mike Fuller (of Jamaican origin), the officer holders of the Metro-politan Black Police Association, members of the West Indian Servicemen's Association and two hundred other persons in attendance for the seminar at the Commonwealth Institute premises on High Street, Kensington. Were all the questions easy to answer? No. Were some of the questions asked aggressively? Yes.
GENUINE EFFORT
But that's what it was all about. A genuine and laudable effort by Peter Phillips, Lucius Thomas, Carl Williams, Phil Sinkinson, Sir Bill Morris, Greta Bogues, Earl Jarrett, Oliver Clarke to say to Jamaicans living in the UK ... "You are part of us" ... "we want to brief you factually about the difficult subject of crime" ... we seek your help to deal with this national issue" ... "getting rid of crime and the drug trade needs all of us to work together with the police".
Let's have more forums where there is rational and honest debate with Jamaicans here and there.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Government, the business community, Jamaicans everywhere, will benefit from all attempts to bring common pressure on national problems.
Jamaica. The growth of crime is not limited to Jamaica. Neither is the uncertainty of how to deal with it. The Metropolitan Police have established a special unit, numbering many hundreds of policemen, to deal with black on black crime the Trident squad. As that unit becomes more effective this crime spreads to other areas. Comparable units are being established in many urban areas of the UK. The Assistant Chief Constable of the West Midlands Police, Stuart K. Hyde, received extended applause when he spoke to acknowledge that crime was not only a problem in Jamaica but just about everywhere. He promised the support of his police area force to assist Jamaica.
In London, there are Baronesses, QCs, JPs, Scotland Yard Deputy Commissioners, accountants, newspaper reporters, businessmen, local councillors, the new Chief Constable for Kent Mike Fuller (of Jamaican origin), the officer holders of the Metro-politan Black Police Association, members of the West Indian Servicemen's Association and two hundred other persons in attendance for the seminar at the Commonwealth Institute premises on High Street, Kensington. Were all the questions easy to answer? No. Were some of the questions asked aggressively? Yes.
GENUINE EFFORT
But that's what it was all about. A genuine and laudable effort by Peter Phillips, Lucius Thomas, Carl Williams, Phil Sinkinson, Sir Bill Morris, Greta Bogues, Earl Jarrett, Oliver Clarke to say to Jamaicans living in the UK ... "You are part of us" ... "we want to brief you factually about the difficult subject of crime" ... we seek your help to deal with this national issue" ... "getting rid of crime and the drug trade needs all of us to work together with the police".
Let's have more forums where there is rational and honest debate with Jamaicans here and there.
The Jamaica Constabulary Force, the Government, the business community, Jamaicans everywhere, will benefit from all attempts to bring common pressure on national problems.
