IS CRIME IN JAMAICA THE PNP LEGACY?

Written by: Winston Donald
 

I have no political aspirations. My family and I have never deprived any benefits from political parties. In

fact, in the days when the JLP with their hegemonic coloured politicians tried to buy votes with flour and

rotten cod fish , my home in St. Ann was one of the few that voted People’s National Party and shunned

the rotten goods which were being used to induce voting. To cut a long story short, it is alarming that

the criminal activities have taken a turn for the worst in Jamaica. Why despite the PNP having the

strongest record for social programmes (Yes, it is Norman Manley who introduced education for all

Jamaicans at the high school level) crime has always been higher when the PNP is in power and crime

control has always alluded the PNP. In serious self reflection, I am asking myself why? I have listen to

complaint of many Jamaicans and I have to ask myself why is this so? Why under the other regime, the

crime rate is tolerable? Is something of the nature of destroying the nation at work? By whom and in

whose interests? There is an answer to everything. It appears that there are factors impacting the

high crime rate on the island under all PNP state control. The fact is only since the Dudus West

Kingston fiasco has the country seen a significant reduction in crime in the last 15 years , although for a

few months.

From all assessment and analysis only six (6) plausible reason scan be given and are as follows:

1. Serious economic disequilibrium that makes the worst comes out of the criminal elements and

the dispossessed Jamaicans.

2.Provision of guns by persons especially those with money to sabotage the government and social

programmes.

3 The PNP party has always been soft on crime. Serious crime control has never been taken seriously.

4.. The PNP has always been ambivalent .

5. In its mantra to protect human rights .

6. The PNP has made it easier for criminal elements , some or any aligned to the party to get away with

terrorizing the population.

7. Crime pays and there is an investment in crime which might be political , economic or a mixture of

both. In fact it could also be racial-economic driven. Who knows?

Therefore if we know the answer which is one from the above, and even the most hypocritical and

cynical of us knows it, why cannot the authorities or the people of Jamaica fix the crime problem?

It is time for serious action, strong leadership and steps to be taken which may not be favourable to

some , especially those who benefited from crime to clip the wing of this scourge.

There are no other reasons so from these seven it awaits us all to analyse and assess the crime

situation if we have not done that yet and make our choice of the correct reason . Have you choose the

correct answer/reason ? Do not be a hypocrite? Be fair? I have made my selection. What about you?