Issue: Don't let up on gangs of Gordon House
Published:Saturday | May 7, 2011 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
I support The Gleaner's editorial series referring to the 'gangs of Gordon House'.
I have long contended that while an argument can be made on some good that has been achieved over the long years the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party (PNP) have swapped governance in Jamaica, since 1944, the negatives far outweigh that good. We seem to have swapped 'black dawg fi monkey'.
Even the most hardened tribalist who is also a good and decent Jamaican will agree that a change must occur to take Jamaica into a new political phase of development. That, in my opinion, is what The Gleaner is saying and doing, and God knows this is long overdue.
I urge The Gleaner to ignore the cries of a few of those who seem to be hit the hardest.
Where were they when the One Order and Clansman gangs affiliated themselves with the JLP/PNP and did their bidding - burning out, intimidating and even killing to secure the garrison votes? Who controls the garrisons and who do the garrisons vote for?
I also have some advice for The Gleaner: Do not expect the gangs to cure themselves. They have behaved this way for so long that it has become their nature.
To cure the present ills of Jamaica caused by a now nearly totally corrupt political process, we need a drastic change away from the norm.
● The people of Jamaica must be sovereign and we must move away from the present five-year parliamentary monarchy dictatorship.
● We need to adopt a complete open and transparent political system.
● We must secure the complete safety of all our citizens by a return to an equitable justice system and the rule of law.
● Put a freeze on all new taxation unless it is brought to Parliament and approved by a 60 per cent majority.
● Provide a system of facilitation of tax breaks and customs duties to any business proposal that will employ at least 2,000 persons in each constituency over a 36-month period. The employment and tax break will be prorated. I suggest call centres, as it will not be hard to teach our young people to speak English.
● Provide available health care to all Jamaicans based on means (ability to pay) with emphasis on preserving life.
● Refocus the current education system to early-childhood education with special emphasis on a curriculum change to the real three Rs - reading, reasoning and respect.
I am, etc.,
MICHAEL 'CHAMUNDA' WILLIAMS