While the Leader of the Opposition, Bruce Golding said the following at a fundraising event at the Jamaica Pegasus in 2005:
“The number one priority to which we must direct our energies and resources is not on new highways, not even on education – as important as that is. It must be on tackling this monster of crime and violence. It can be done ! It requires political will and when we become the government we will make the treatment of crime the number one priority of our government.”
With the murder of my cousin in Linstead in February of this year and now the murder of my friend’s brother, Mark DeFreitas, this past Friday, I am calling on Prime Minister Bruce Golding to show this “political will” which he spoke of. Crime and especially the murder rate, increased under the PNP while the JLP kept saying it had a plan. A plan was drafted and the author of that plan was the Minister of National Security for a short period after the JLP won the 2007 elections.
Crime is now even worse and we are fast heading towards a record murder rate again. JLP, you have done no better than the PNP but you claimed to have a plan and that you could solve Jamaica’s crime problem in a period even shorter than your first term, I recall a claim of “two years” (correct me if I am wrong).
If it is expected that Jamaicans abroad will move back home, help others start businesses, encourage tourists to visit or if the government seriously intends to secure greater foreign direct investment in sectors other than tourism and bauxite mining, or if the government intends resident Jamaicans to feel comfortable starting small businesses and trusting the police, then it is IMPERATIVE that the crime plan be fully implemented. There is no point in getting lower interest rates, enacting tax reform, improving healthcare and reducing the costs of education if crime continues to increase.
A country cannot achieve its true potential with a crime rate like that of Jamaica and it is high time that our elected officials are held accountable. PNP, do NOT stand in the way of crime legislation (make sure it protects our rights but do not just oppose for opposition sake).
I want a safer Jamaica because that means it will be a better Jamaica. We were told to swallow the “bitter pill” of the IMF and we will have to swallow some bitter pills if we are to truly root out corruption and deal with crime effectively.
After those dark days however, the sun will shine on Jamaica again and we can truly be proud of the gold in our flag instead of wearing the black at so many funerals.
By David Mullings
Tags: bauxite mining, cirme, corruption, IMF, Jamaica, JLP, murder capital, PNP, tourism
Well said David!
I guess you only want comments that reflect the views of you and the Gleaner. I can’t bother with this senseless picking and choosing and groundless censorship.
I couldn’t have said it better myself David. Always in support of you and your efforts.
I beleive Jamaica has the ability to overcome its high crime rate however it takes planning,willingness and tightening laws actual frequent and firm persecution of those who involve themselves in these activitites.
the first thing I would do:
would involve church leaders in promotoing conciousness into the people without concience and conciousness nothing can be acheived
The second thing would do is find the cause of the peoples anger and pacify that anger whether by social gathering or reassurance that they have a future in jamaica and that future belong to them that the safety and properity of Jamaica is within there interest each one teach one.
The third concept I would introduce is a wide variety of legal and official upstanding clubs that young peoiple can join to promote and enrich their interest.
Fourethly one would strenghten the family a programme for parents who are struggling their children could be given bus fares and lunch money to attend school without the strain on their parents this would reduce incident of childhood sexual exploitation.
Fifth there would be a tracking system where the activity of the communities are monitored whether by cameras or the social interaction of the police within the community.
Next deportes would have a check in center where they are monitored and supervised back into the social structure of the country.
And vitally and essentially employment and stabilization of goods and service the frequent changes in price also destabilize the emotional and spiritual welbeing of the people
Lastly the social structure need to converge where the rich and poor are not so wide apart and are no longer held in contempt because you do not have instead the rich should give back voluntarily or involuntarily by taxes increase on them the rich and a reminder to every class that my brothers wellbeing is my wellbeing his ability to feed his family may free our country from rampant crime.
Politians are too engaged with criminals for one reason or another;; mainly for support. why so much guns are in our little Island? is everyday is birdshooting season? They will only wake/up when the tourists stop going there, and Jamaicans stop visiting family and friends.what will happen if money stop going there though the electranics system?
Ive said this time and time again, if only some-one is sensible enough to implement it. Get rid of all dons in the ghetto areas or wherever-else they become a pest.
The dons are usually the ones who run the areas, they have a bit of cash, they import guns and train our ghetto teenagers as murderers, help them to form gangs, then send them out to do their dirty work.
They tell these young wayward unsuspecting gunmen in the making how much they love and care for them, then give them a few pennies to buy food and ganja which they smoke together, leaving them with a sense of belonging.
If we kill or lock up all dons then send in the police alongside the army to rid the community of armunition, thats a step forward.
now for step 2, with these young men we have a place for them to council all of them as one group, so they can feel that togetherness.
step three we build a free learning and trade training center in each of these areas, get them involve in the building of the center, ask some place to donate materials for the building of these center it will provide them with a skill to branch out in society.
step four we train some of the elders in the area as councillors, so that if they get in any dispute with anyone, or finding things difficult they have a listening ear, and together find a solution.
step five We must always watch out for new dons in the making and get rid of them as quickly as we can.
Ask the people that own food chains to donate free food to these centers so when they come in they can have a meal, because nobody cant learn on hungry belly.
step six tell people that when these trained young men go in for job interviews dont descriminate against them, just because of the area or adress that they come from, give them a fare chance like evrybodyelse, within no time we will have a jamaica moving forward.
See,the people of jamaica needs to know and realise that political/politics got no will,to make things be better or to bring changes in jamaica it got to be from the will of the people,politics do nothing other than create segregations amongst a people,that later spurs to the destruction of the same people,brothers killing brothers and sisters,sisters doing the same.
When find political leaders selling out assets as an airline of a country u need no other evidence to see the selfishness that the political disease can breed or bring harm to the mind of it’s indulgers.
The airline of a country is as one parent who left a house for future generations to live in,yet a family member sell such house leaving their family members out in the cold.
The people in jamaica needs to be more self reliant on many fronts as in providing/farming their own food,invest more in the love they had for each other many moons ago,reject this money over people attitudes a diseases i think was been caught in america then spread all over the island by returning citizens or visitors and today deportees,yes i said it,deportees.
Jamaica InI beautiful country slowly becoming a big may pen cemetary,people it’s time to show the politicians that they work for you the people and not you the people working for them,rise up with selective protests to show those politicians the areas poor people are badly in need of help.
Ras Howard Henry
521 westmoreland ave
syracuse new york
13210
315 863 1024
I think a day is soon coming when the Jamaican people will be (ready, willing and) able to say: “We, the people of Jamaica, will NOT be motivated by hatred or extremism”.
There is no political will. The politicians are part of the crime problem.
We should dispense with the cliches. Jamaica has more than enough political will to tackle the crime problem. What Jamaica does not have are the resoucres, the intelligence and yes the cooperation of its people and the collective will of the people to address the crime problem. Crime is multi-sectoral, multi-disciplinary, multi-dimensional and inextricably linked with other social problems, inlcuding values and attitudes. Crime will never be obliterated until the social root causes are addressed; and I am not talking about poverty here because that too is tied to values and attitudes. There is moreso a lack of collective will of the people and not so much the political will which is sadly lacking. Security is a collaborative issue – not just a government problem only. When we start looking at it through that prism, perhaps we all should get up off our asses and help rather than blame the Government – PNP or JLP – to deal with the issue.
I endorse the viewpoints expressed by Mr Mullings. We are playing a dangerous game with this monster of crime and after many commissions , enquiries , declarations and talk shops we are still in a dismal mess. In the absence of political and societal will in many quarters those of us who recognize the magnitude, severity and urgency of the problem must act not just talk. Get from behinds our comfortables desks, platforms and fences and other divides and get into the trenches with the police, the NGOs , churches, neighbopurhood watches, private and public sector entities and take the bull by the horn. Give the problems the resources it demands. Every other development project is threatened by this issue. Why are we operating as though this is an OK situation?Now is not the time for our legendary ‘ JA no problem ‘ attitude! It appears we have lived so long with increasingly gruesome murder statistics that we have become numb to the reality that the stench of death is suffocating us silently, killing our will and we are losing more and more of our greatest resource- our people. All parties ( political and otherwise) need to take to the streets and lanes in a sustained united effort addressing the socioeconomic and political divides and the spiritual cancer which are at the root of this problem. We must act together , in a multi-faceted approach to deal a death blow to this monster by the help of God…God grant us renewed resolve and God bless Jamaica….
Don’ ask whenever people give honest biting responses on what needs to done as long as it does not square with the paper’s narrative their posts are taken down you guys are pathetic.
I have lived in the states for a very long time. I have seriously thought about moving back home to Jamaica. However, with the crime rate the level it is, I find if hard to do so at this time. This stands a reminder of a period in my life when I was most frightened to walk even outside my home to go to school without fear of being shot – 1980 in Kintyre. Kintyre and Hope Flat against each other, PNP against JLP, so stupid. I don’t believe any of the fools that participated in the event of that period of time, knew why or what they fought for. I long to bring my children to Jamaica. Show them where I grew up, even it is not the most glamourous. I would love for them to walk where I have walked, laughed and played.
Thank you.
A country cannot achieve its true potential with a crime rate like that of Jamaica
and it is high time that our elected officials are held accountable. PNP, do NOT stand in the way of crime legislation (make sure it protects our rights but do not just oppose for opposition sake).
could not be better said,and a political party in opposition should not just oppose for the sake of politics and that seem to be the trend these days.
I think the problem is that the politicians from both parties are so deeply involved with the criminals that they cannot act without fear. Another problem is the various human rights groups which always seems to oppose any effort to enact laws which target criminal activity. Until we are prepared to use draconian measures to eliminate the perpetrators of these crimes, the situation will only get worse.
We are all waiting for a safer Jamaica but we as a people need to do something about it. We can challenge anyone and exceed beyond expectations. We need the will to challenge the government and call upon an uneffective prime Minister to resign. The country has the attention of the world with rampant corruption and influence by criminals. This will not change unless Jamaicans decide to change it.
Political will? Are you serious? It is said but politicians in JA have no desire to attack/address the monster of crime. If they wanted to they would have because they know exactly what to do and how to do what they need to do. But will they? No because too many personal agendas will be compromised.
I agree. Jamaica is a good place to migrate back to with all the accumulated wealth from a successful life in another country. Nonetheless, I miss Jamaica, but I am afraid to return their to live because of the high crime. As long as Jamaica have a high crime rate, I will stay in the USA and dream of the good ol’ days in Jamaica. Jamaicans’ need to demand more protection from their elected officials and assist them in getting rid of the violence.
I agree 100% that crime fighting is the most pressing issue that needs to be dealt with. The level of crime that is being experienced at this time stagnates every other initiative, such as education and potential economic growth.
I spent the past few months flying back and forth to Jamaica, getting everything in place to purchase a house, and to start a business. What stops me from doing so are thoughts of how my cousin was murdered last year by a taxi driver, and nothing came of it. An associate of mine who was an entrepreneur was murdered last week in a robbery attempt. The countless accounts of murder, not only from the media, but from family and friends who called to say so and so got killed today.
I would love to move back, or even just invest in my beautiful country, but the rate of crime is just unbearable.
St James is out of control and the authorities are just thinking about setting up strategic posts to counter crime. This shows a lack of foresight! Something like this should have been done long before any spate of multiple murders.
I do not have a single solution or suggestion on how to fight crime in Jamaica, but I think if the politicians loved the country the way most of the people living abroad do, there would not be such an epidemic today.
The people who should be doing something about the crime in Jamaica are criminals themselves, so nothing will be done.
It does not exist in Jamaica, and any utterances from the exisiting political establishment would be just another expression of their hypocrisy, and utter contempt for the people of the country.
Jamaica has many problemsm, and my oh so resilient brothers and sisters soldier on against the storm of obstacles placed in their way by putrid, festering, sore of a political order bankrupt of any solutions for the problems that it has almost single handedly
foisted onto the country’s back.
There are no solutions to Jamaica’s problems to be found in these same people, policies and processes that have brought her to the sorry pass she now stands, economically, socially, etc, down, but NEVER EVER OUT!!!
Iam English with Jamaican parents I wish to come to Jamaica to live but as far as i can see Jamaica is a war zone > and I have to question why I should invest my money in a country that is headed no where and lost to the devil.
Until the Jamaican govenment band the Gun then its people will continue to die by the Gun, the govenment must tackle this its not going away bring in the army if neccessy, there is much that can be done look at New York (USA)for ideas if you cannot come up with any of your own.
there is none
pls think about our children and there children
In response to Mr. Mullings’ article, I would like to echo his sentiments; the effective stemming of Jamaica’s criminal activities has to be the NUMBER ONE priority of this JLP administration (or any admin for that matter). It absolutely makes no sense that there be a plan that is not implemented. I’ve always hoped (and I’m still hoping) to return to Jamaica one day soon and give back to the Land of my birth POSITIVELY, in one form or another. But how can I (and others like myself) do so if the Government and Oppostion cannot come together to effectively stem the tides of crime in Jamaica?
I am ashamed of my country! Shame on you prime minister Bruce Golding. Are you going to let the thugs and gang bangers ruin our country or are you going to stand up to them. People abroad are so afraid to go home. I have alot of non-Jamaican friends who would never come to my country out of fear of being assissinated with no justice behind it!!
Jamaica is suffering from two main problems, JLP and PNP. These two organizations have held the country hostage and unless the Nation is liberated from their domination and manipulation it will continue rot like a corpse.
It will take more than political will to fix this problem. It is so deep rooted in the social, political and economicfabric of this country. No one government will ever be able to fix it. The people will have to play their part. we have to get back to a Jamaica where we cared for each other, where we placed value and respect for our neighbour and friends. How did we come to lose all of that…I don’t know. I think the love for material things over people. The children of slaves wanting to acquire all the material things that others have and so in the process we lost sight of what was important in our lives. Now we snuff out the lives of others and it means nothing! Killing babies and old people, dragging a man of God out of his house and forcing him on his knees, then shooting him in cold blood..we have become animals…this is a very sad time for Jamaica and I am not proud to call myself one!
The tribal politics that exist in Jamaica lies squarely at the foot of its leaders. Corruption,a lack of vision and greed has been the catalyst of Jamaica`s problems. 530 murders as at April 30,2010 this is frightening. I just cancelled a trip a trip to Jamaica. The filthy music that people find comfort in fuels anti-social behaviour.
Sorry for your loss, but I just don’t think that it is all up to the Government to solve the crime problem. It’s up to the people as well to tackle this issue, and it’s quite simple in my mind. In a country where it is an insult to call a man a gentleman; there lies the problem. Each and every person have to start carrying themselves better. Everyone need to start by looking themselves in the mirror before they leave the house and if they don’t see a positive role model looking back at them, then they should start by changing that negative image, as the youngsters are watching and are being influenced by what they see.
The will of the general citizenery is also needed. People need to stop protecting criminals and turning a blind eye to corruption. Jamaicans need to start playing by the rule of law which includes ceasing the purchase of drivers licenses, for example.
When the top priority of the vocal and active majority of citizens is to fight crime, and they express that in their votes, and for example, in protests demanding the resignation of underperforming officials, then we’ll see some change for the better. Then we’ll see the political will.
Jamaica NEEDS a curfew, 6-PM to 6-AM for at least one full month. All homes, back yards, under the beds, in the trunks and closets must be searched thoroughly. Any NEW dug up soil around the house and property to be searched. All vehicles, and persons coming in and going out from those curfew communities, must be searched in details. failing toobey the curfew, such persons MUST be arrested and charged. When found guilty, imprisonment of 5-10, years and huge draconian fine. The judges MUST stop the SLAP on the wrists fines, convictions and imprisonment. TOUGH, TOUGH, and really Tough draconian measures needed to dell with criminals, cannibals and terrorists.
The time has come and gone for ACP Reneto Adams to be back at the helm of fighting crime. These holligans has no fear as there is no one to fear. We need to resume hanging, and we also need to resume flogings. The time as come and gone for Jamaicans to get tough and fight back.
My brother you could not have stated this letter in a better way, these politicans only makes promises to be elected as soon as they get there they forget what they promise.
The now a day politicians will walk on the blood of poor people at all expence to get elected, sorry my brother about the loss of your cousin it’s now time for us to mobolize and put these politicial leaders on notice,PNP-JLP no difference time for us to take charge.
Sadly after years and years we, the international community, do not see changes related to the crime rate.
In other countries a state of emergency would be declared for less than that. But here in Jamaica, violence is the ‘way of life’.
Do you believe we take seriously all those nice speeches made by pastors in their churches… let’s laugh together at those clowns Alleluhia! I guess we are not reading the same bible.
The crime rate,with more than 500 murders in 4 months is sky rocketing… barbarism…
Finally Jamaican should learn the meaning of the word ‘respect’ of your neighbour… and your violence problem will be solve.
D. L.
I don’t believe any of the political party leaders have any clue how to solve the crime and high murder rate in Jamaica. the politicians accept dealing with criminal elements as part of the political process. Unless they all sit and come to some binding aggrement to move away from the current system of garrison politics we won’t make any head way. People talk about gangs etc. but these guys all have some political affiliation. If you can get the politicians to be honest they would agree. For the most part,the police know and are aware of the criminals but never seem to go after them. Such is way of life in Jamaica, it seems the numbness is lift only when the crime affected the individual.
I curently living in canada but i was born and raised in jamaica and reading i came across this reading and it is very tru and i agree %100…BRUCE NEEDS TO STEP UP..
The only way the police can stop and solve crime is if the people
corporate. If the people do not help the police the situation will get
worst until the people comply.
We cannot expect the police alone to solve crime we must do what
we can too to rid the country of this madness.
Informer have to live now every body can’t die surely. A country
with so much so much bloodshed must be at the brink of hell. We
got to turn back this slaughtering now before it is too late. If you
see something you must say something to stop another crime
from happening.
Over the past couple of years we have had two political party in Jamaica. They are PNP and the JLP. The PNP always have a mandate, their mandate is to enrich themselves, by selling jamaica to the highest foreign bidder whilst making sure that the the youths stayed mentally enslaved. The JLP has absolutely no mandate and they were actually surpprised that they won the election.
Now looking at both scenario’s what do you believe the end result is going to be? A bunch of hopeless people, being steered into a enconmic and social ditch, by an incompetent government that is clueless as to their responsibilities. These guys are interested in making policy to curb crime. They are in it to enrich themselves and protect their political base.
So you were one of the many jamaican who was tricked by Mr Golding’s political rhetoric? Just a reminder, in a election cycle pay little attention to what they say. It’s called politrix.
I am a Jamaican intending to visit the island in the summer. I am truluy scared for my life ans that of my children and boyfriend who will be visiting with me. We are planning on staying ona resort on the North Coast, and so far I am afraid of doing any activitiy outside of the hotel due to the high crime rate, that seems so nonsencial. My b/f is American and he has stated his fears for such a small island,.. Am eaan 546 people DEAD/ KILLED in less than 6 months. My god. You are shooting yourself in the foot. Sooner rather than later, no one will want to come visit the island due to the high crime rate. Stop all this nonsencial killings. Can the politicans and the powers that be do something. Soon you will have no USA dollars as they will stop doing business with you and your econmy will get worst. People all over the world and watching and hearing about us and it is NOT good news. They are afraid. Please stop. STOP.
crime crime crim…very simple to solve in most small states like jamaica,bring back the death penalty right away crooked coward politicians…then get head of police from the usa..one of those wicked white males,who help solve new york city crimes,cause also these blacks dont respect there own,they think twice about commiting crimes arround white areas in the usa,cause most whites are armed,and usually shoot to kill,i love that..then make sure witnesses are protected..if a witness is harmed,that person that harmed said witness ,is automatically up for the death penalty,arm the law abiding citizens in jamaica,and start forming civil protection groups at the direction of this new white head of police,a bounty on heads of all murderers,dead or alive,mostly dead,make sure they know society dont care,all so call dons,must be put away with no outside visit or communication,put them on some little island that jamaica own,with shark or crocodile infested waters,just there indefinately,while the ones who already murdered people or ordered murders are themselves killed right away..thats about a 2 year work,then keep death penalty active and citizen patrols active…oh dont forget death penalty or abolishment to shark or crocodile protected island for the women who help hide these low lifes too and for them owning any type of guns and other weapons..thats soliving crime in small [tiny] places like jamaica..
Political will? (Kiss teeth.) The main problem with crime in Jamaica is not the cuddling of politicians with criminals. It is “big society’s” embrace of criminal politicians. Garrison politicians are criminals but they are the nation’s darlings. They are treated with respect, given honors, praised, awarded positions and are called upon to lead the nation! What a crass situation. It is as if we know Jon Publik did the crime, but he is a good friend so we over look things until he strikes us and ours. Cohabitation with dogs results with the infestation of fleas. Who will apply the disinfectant?
Wake up Jamaica!!!
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everybody in Jamaica could vote for whichever party they choose without ending up dead? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Jamaicans and foreign visitors, wives, husbands, boyfriends, girlfriends and kids could walk the streets safely anywhere in Jamaica day or night without fear of being robbed and killed? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the tourists could walk amongst us and spend with us instead of hiding in their luxurious prisons in some make believe Jamaica? And don’t you want to go back to the days when you could go anywhere, sit in any bar, play dominos and drink white rum without drive by shootings and butchering, or men telling you which area you can go from which one you cannot go. Would it not be nice to be able to sit on your veranda without burglar bars and taking in the warm evening breeze and eating some jerk whatever you fancy? We want Jamaica back. We want good governance. We want the honourable men and women with integrity in or parliament to through out the garbage and fix Jamaica. NOW!
m.j Williams.
new york did not solve its crime problem by brutality!.. it solve it by letting its people know what was at stake . so they was able to convince the top dons to call off the dogs!. and some of those dons know julani and they have respect for him so they worked together and help to keep things under rap.
and cool down the situation!..
Mr Mullings take on the subject is well thought out. His perspective on the polititians will to do something about crime has echoed at home and abroad,but nothing has been done by the polititians,leaders,the church,the businessman and we the patriotic jamaicans who one day will return to our native land.
Jamaica is where I was born. Beautiful Jamaica is now a total burial ground for dead bodies. I recently lost my nephew-in-law by the hands of notorious gunmen. What will it take the government to see that this is affecting the economy as well as tourism. I have taken my vacation to travel to Jamaica but I will not go. The politicians need to wake up out of their sleep and see that Jamaica Land We Love is sinking.
Jamaica is being run by hardened criminals.
Don’s can send for gunmen from all over the island while police and soldiers cannot enter garrisons. Everyone knows high powered rifles are in Tivoli but no one is going in.
Rapists hold women hostage in their own homes and rape citizens at their leisure.
Murderers threaten, burn, and kill hard-working citizens who nust leave their homes so the same murderers can rent or sell Jamaican citizens property.
Children at very young ages are raped and killed.
Business owners must pay taxes to thugs so their business is not robbed or burnt to the ground.
Somalia is safer than Jamaica today.
Why would any sane foreigner invest in that pit toilet?
When Jamaicans decide to throw out corrupt politicians and rid the country of scum we will returm to our homeland and help to build it back to it’s true potential.
Renalto Adams for PM….. needs somebody with real balls……… i will drop everything i am doing to join him.