THE EDITOR, Sir:
IT IS most unfortunate that the speech/press conference of the army chief turned into a monologue about the "mother of all garrisons". I do believe that if his chosen topic had remained relevant to the issue of finding (or not finding) the three alleged gunmen when his army charged into what could have been a valley of death, most of us listeners would not have been lost as to the timeliness and objective of his press briefing.
Sarcasm and satire have their own time and place and when used in ways that are not very subtle, arguments may be perceived as pettiness and may even mix up the mind of the hearers. In his zest to impress, I thought that he both damaged and destroyed the impact of his message, which had it been based more on wit and intelligence, would have added more to his credibility and worthiness of the invasion he led.
PLACING THE BLAME
For too long, Tivoli Gardens has been used as a scapegoat to put the preferred colour on violence, crime and lawlessness in Jamaica. But while the focus, spotlight and "tunnel-vision" is perpetually in that direction, pandemonium and mayhem abound in and around other lanes and streets located within ear-shot and walking distance of that community.
CRIME CAN HIDE
What we are failing to realise (or don't want to acknowledge) is that crime can hide and has been hiding itself in any colour deemed convenient to the perpetrators, depending on the circumstances, time and opportunity. So while we fiddle, spend valuable time, energy and taxpayers' hard-earned money, throwing physical and verbal cannons to the left and right of the "mother garrison", all the "children garrison" are running uncontrollably amok with a more ferocious and deadlier characteristic.
It is more than timely and also long overdue, for the leaders of both the constabulary and the army to find ways to ensure that their speeches/press conferences are more precise, relevant and effective, in order that some of us who hear (and can pick sense out of nonsense) may be less critical and cynical. It is a very good feeling when speeches remain in the minds of listeners long after the voices have stopped talking.
I am, etc.,
SONIA CHRISTIE
Stewart Town
Stewart Town P.O
Trelawny.
