Orville Taylor | A rocky landing; but where do the fingers point?

It might have been pitch dark but it was in plane sight. No matter how skilful a pilot is, without the benefit of at least the headlight on the airplane, having a non-fatal crash in the sea is virtually impossible. From the little I can glean from the photographs, it was more of a controlled forced landing rather than a crash per se. If a plane of that size hits water at any speed above 80 knots, I would expect major breaking up of the fuselage and fatalities.

So, first of all, let be me thankful that there was no report of anyone dying, because every life matters and the men/women who were piloting the aircraft are members of families, too. But let us be honest, can the residents of Rocky Point, Portland Cottage, Shearer’s Heights, and even those in Water Lane, Alley and Race Course tell the rest of Jamaica that they have no idea as to what happened to the survivors? The question is, what does the community have to lose or gain by giving or not giving information to the police?

That entire south coast of Jamaica is a porous part of our borders. Unlike the north coast, where the sea is by and large directly shared with the Americans, after we pass Cuba, our waters to the south wash Central and South America, is expansive and very difficult to police. All of the families from Hunts Bay to Blue Fields face myriad challenges. Rocky Point is not a major commercial area in Clarendon, despite being the birthplace of one of the largest food franchises in the country. And although I have not eaten in any of the food shops and restaurants there in years, the food was good and it was a great set of people to be around.

Fishing Industry

Most of the residents between Portland Cottage and Rocky Point are directly or indirectly connected to the fishing industry. It is perilous. Apart from the hazard of being at sea and not being able to come out and push one’s boat to shore when it the engine stalls, there are pirates … Yes! Pirates, not Jack Sparrow but ‘Quengaz’ with M-16s, AK-47s and handguns. Fisherfolk from time to time lose everything at sea, not just the catch, but sometimes the craft and their lives to these criminal.

Police intelligence indicates that separate from the legitimate commercial activities of the law-abiding seafarers, a small minority transport not a catch, but a cache, oftentimes it is tea leaves and sometimes it is talcum. But let us call a spade a shovel. Wherever there is the trade in contraband among a minority of the residents of a poor community, especially if it is a sort of landlocked or garrison, the benefits must even trickle or leach into the mainstream economy. So, unless there is a clear path that will not only close off the corridor but, more important, continue the infusion of capital, there will be no incentive for the residents to lock shop.

Who will dare to speak, and if he or she does, what are the likely consequences? Belling the cat is one thing. But who is willing to be eaten by the cat?

Businessman Detained

Last week, I saw the folk raise Cain over the detention of a prominent businessman in the community. Apart from his arrest, the police searched his premises and ransacked it. I have no reason to believe that he is involved in any kind of criminal activity and as far as I know, he has no conviction. However, what was not apparent to me was that he was on a pre-existing charge that he is facing in the court. Rightfully, he has called for his lawyer as he feels targeted because, even with the best of intelligence or suspicion, there is only one way to enforce the law and that is legally. Allegations are that the police kicked down his door without legal authority; my information is that the cops did indeed secure a warrant. Of course, a court will decide on his guilt or innocence on that charge. However, there is no proven connection to the plane and he is innocent of having any such knowledge unless there is irrefutable proof.

Yet, the community has called for the political representatives to intervene. Their member of parliament is a lawyer; so, he knows that unlike some other democracies where the elected official can tell the police to start or desist from doing an investigation, he has no such power in Jamaica. In any event, if he were to attempt to act outside of his authority, it would be the most uncharacteristic thing I have ever seen in this young politician.

Still, what this whole saga with the mystery plane, missing cargo and ghost crew demonstrates, is exactly what epitomises crime in Jamaica. Unless the consequences of silence are too great for the community to bear, the cat will keep the tongues of the residents.

My hope is that the passengers are alive.

n Dr Orville Taylor is head of the Department of Sociology at The University of the West Indies, a radio talk-show host, and author of ‘Broken Promises, Hearts and Pockets’. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com. and tayloronblackline@hotmail.com.