EDITORIAL - Cut the link between crime and politics

Politics, as the saying goes - and as too many who do that business in Jamaica can attest - makes strange bedfellows. The cynics might even claim that evidence of flea bites abounds to prove the argument.

The time might be ripe, though, for politicians to be more discerning about with whom they lie - an approach that would ease the job of the police and help to lift Jamaica out of its deep economic and social crisis.

We locate our observation in the New Year's charge to the members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force by its leader, Mr Owen Ellington.

The Jamaican police hold that gangs engaged in extortion and drug trafficking are the major cause of the country's high crime rate, including homicides at more than 60 per 100,000 persons. Mr Ellington, therefore, ordered his divisional commanders to identify the top three gangs in their areas, devise strategies to dismantle them and to complete the job in three months - by the end of March.

Get politicians on board

It won't be long before we can assess how effective the police have been in the busting. But whatever the eventual outcome, this newspaper believes that it would have been better with the active involvement of politicians and the overt and robust support of their parties.

The major parties, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party, long ago stopped feigning ignorance of the connection with and benefit from garrison communities, those zones of political exclusion controlled by strongmen aligned to the one or the other.

The controlling dons, with their wealth from extortion and racketeering, may no longer be economically beholden to politicians. But there remains a symbiosis to the relationship. Dons get enhanced legitimacy from their perceived influence with politicians and parties.

In turn, the parties benefit from the votes dons rustle up at general elections and from their financial contributions, even if, indirectly, to their campaigns.

But there are compelling reasons why they should sever this nexus between crime and politics, not least the social and economic dysfunction that link sustains. Indeed, there is credible analysis that criminality costs the Jamaican economy up to seven per cent of GDP annually.

Obvious benefits

Moreover, the potential benefits from breaking these links are obvious from last year's incursion by the security forces into Tivoli Gardens that put to flight the alleged drug smuggler and racketeer, Christopher Coke, who was close to the JLP.

Coke's smashed redoubt is the heartland of ruling-party support. It is the hub of the constituency of Prime Minister Bruce Golding. Mr Golding sanctioned the Tivoli incursion only after intense domestic and international pressure was exerted.

But with Tivoli Gardens liberated, investments have headed to downtown Kingston, and Tivoli Gardens is being reintegrated into the national territory. The State and other institutions are again delivering services to the community.

Unfortunately, it seems that the full lesson of Tivoli Gardens has not been grasped by the parties.

Not only do politically aligned gangs continue to flourish elsewhere, but despite their panicked promises at the height of the challenge to the State by the Tivoli Gardens irregulars, there is no robust dissociation from gangs by politicians and parties. Eliminating the gangs and severing links between crime and politics are critical first steps towards dismantling garrisons and healing Jamaica.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.