A.J. Nicholson, Contributor

IF I knew then, what I know now, I would never have bet against the proposition that five hundred truck loads of white sand could be transported from a defined area, and hidden on our small island, Jamaica, to the bafflement of the security forces and the entire government.

Others have written and spoken about this 'unspeakable' activity, but I am now moved to add my voice, since this quaint story has been noised abroad in the international press.

Jamaica, naturally, is projected on the international travel scene as a land of sun, sea and sand. Even though the sun is the closest planet to the Earth, it was always going to be beyond the ingenuity, even of the most creative criminal mind, to steal and transport even one truck load of sunshine to any hidden place in our country.

The sea is all around us. Transporting 500 truck loads of sea water to any secret place in Jamaica perhaps falls into the type of challenge that Hercules had to face in his very arduous tasks on his peril-filled exploits.

'we want justice!'

Sun and sea may be immune to those types of activities or ventures. Not so with sand, in particular, white sand! Here, that falls into a totally different category.

Opposition Spokesman on tourism, Dr Wykeham McNeill, has ventured forth to champion the cause of all Jamaicans, perhaps of the entire global community, who, stumped by this riddle, are shouting in unison: 'We want justice!'. The international press, certainly in the case of the British Broadcasting Corporation, has joined him.

There are two curious elements. In the case of the opposition spokesman, one of his earliest public queries had to do with the appropriateness of a proposal for an individual to be appointed as chairman to a public board.

One would have thought that to be a perfectly reasonable and legitimate query; but, for that, he was roundly upbraided by private tourism interests, to the point of 'how dare you?'.

Fables

It is certainly odd that we are not now hearing any real squeal coming out of any tourism interest whose stock in trade includes our sand, particularly, our white sand.

The second element of curiosity - and sadness - is that, following hard on the heels of the international focus on Jamaica's stellar performance and acclaim on the world stage at Beijing, here comes the exposure of the case of the missing white sand, loaded and transported before none of the eyes of nearly three million people.

Clearly, that is international news; for, it is the stuff that fables are made of. A first!

The Trafigura contribution also made the international news. That was another first. It was the first time that a leader of a political party publicly challenged, and raised queries about, a campaign contribution to another political party. Not Bustamante, not Manley the elder, not Shearer, Manley the younger, Seaga, Patterson or Simpson Miller.

The legally and morally polluted channel through which the 'information' flowed to the then leader of the Opposition is quite another matter. The true outcome of the energy that he poured into that episode of our party political history will ultimately come to be properly judged.

One thing is certain: No effort was spared by him in milking the 'political capital' from his 'complaint' - to the extent that the affirmation of Parliament was sought and obtained, even after the general election, to give to the Dutch authorities permission to carry out investigations here in Jamaica, upon his invitation.

This was done, as was pointed out in the Parliament, certainly in the Senate, that no such investigation had even been initiated here in Jamaica by our own security forces, at his instance, armed with the 'information' that he had managed to glean.

Studied silence

Of course, that could not be done, for, it would have placed the informant, the bank employee, in jeo-pardy and exposed to prosecution.

But, back to the sand! We have not been witnessing that type of energy, or any apparent energy whatsoever, being employed by the prime minister and the authorities touching on the 'disappearance' or 'transfer' of so much of a commo-dity that is so priceless in the development of our people.

We have been richly blessed by nature with that commodity which helps to make Jamaica 'the most beautiful isle my eyes have ever seen'.

The environmentalists warn, by day and by night, that these blessings are not necessarily eternal in character. Disturbance of these gems that flow from nature's bounty may leave our country scarred and less attractive and could ultimately threaten our very survival.

So, the illegal loading and transporting and unloading of five hundred truck loads of white sand from a single location may well be against the laws of nature; it is certainly a crime against the entire Jamaican citizenry and their descendants.

The minister responsible for tourism, whose foundational selling points for Jamaica as a destination include its white sand, has maintained a studied silence on the matter which has attracted the attention even of the international press.

The minister with responsibility for industry, whose foundational selling points to attract foreign and local investment include the fact of our beaches of white sand, has only told us that 'a thief is a thief is a thief', and has not had much else to tell us on the matter.

Difficult sell

The minister, in the Office of the Prime Minister, with responsibility for environmental matters, has not been heard from, other than that the matter is under investigation.

The minister in charge of the security forces and with responsibility for the security of the people of the nation has not been forthcoming with anything to do with the issues involved. He is always strident in his call for the citizens of Jamaica to be actively involved in the fight against crime. What has he said in relation to the case of the stolen sand to energise the public in that fight?

Is it reasonable, then, for him to expect our people to be quick to assist in that fight, when, with all of the resources available to the authorities - wide intelligence facilities, including whistle-blowers, and police personnel in every township in every parish - they are not afforded even a report on the state and stage of the 'investigations'?

So, then! Are we to send to ask for Dutch investigators to come here to help the authorities; or Interpol? For it is certainly going to be a difficult sell that not a shred of evidence has been unearthed during these several days, weeks and months.

First, where is the sand? It could not have been dumped in the sea, unless there was the prospect of erecting some underwater citadel to attract 'white-sand divers' to a new sport.

The five hundred truck loads of white sand could not have been deposited in the interior of the island, visible to eyes on land and from the air, and perhaps from the ocean.

I have heard it said that the stealing and movement of the sand must have been organised by some beach- tourism interest or interests. For me, at this point in time, all bets are off.

Second, whose trucks were used for the movement of the sand and what is the genesis of the information that the number was five hundred and not one thousand? Is it likely that this kind of enterprise would have been contracted out to several truck owners? Or to one or two, to help to keep matters 'under wraps'?

I have heard it said that soon we are likely to hear that there were fifty truck loads or five. Again, for me, all bets are off.

Romping on stolen sand

And, were there no unusual lodgements to any bank account that would attract the attention of a vigilant 'whistle-blower'? Some hefty payments must have been made to the truck owners in this earth-shaking criminal venture.

So, then, these loaded trucks did not pass through any of the townships and other areas where there are policemen and women who are duty bound to keep their eyes peeled and to take note of unusual operations, including such trucking operations.

It, therefore, appears that there is a new selling point for Jamaica as a tourist destination: 'Sun, Sea and Stolen Sand'. Who knows? Perhaps that is what drives the optimism of the minister of tourism concerning our prospects for a bumper season, with more to come.

Since nothing is being heard from the authorities as to the resting place of the missing sand, or any other element of that unimaginable activity, one can never be sure that any tourist frolicking on a white sand beach at any hotel anywhere in Jamaica is not romping on stolen sand.

Tilting at windmill

And it may be that, if the international press sticks with the story, rather fable, we are indeed likely to witness an exponential increase in our tourist arrivals. For, who would not wish to visit a country where, in this 21st century, fables exist in live and living colour. We would have added a unique dimension to the enchantment of Jamaica.

Of course, this should not deter the opposition spokesman on tourism in his quest to discover the truth, even if some will contend that he is tilting at windmills.

I have heard tell that there might be a grand cover-up. I am persuaded that it is not only in my case that all bets are off; for, a thief is a thief is a thief.

A.J. Nicholson is opposition spokesman on justice.