What purpose, these stats?

The Editor, Sir:

The printing of the ever-increasing number of murders in Jamaica on a daily basis almost completely overpowers the front page of your newspaper. I would be very interested in finding out what purpose exactly does the printing of this statistic serve.

One would suspect that a certain amount of thought must have gone into this before it was started. But the only reasonable conclusion that one can draw is that it was supposed to impact in a positive way on the actual number of murders being committed in the society by creating a national awareness of the magnitude of the crisis.

But has this in fact been happening or has our population become so jaded and case hardened about such matters that it's now just taken for granted? Or are the criminals perhaps now using it as a target to be exceeded in their macho serenade of death?

Has it not occurred to the powers that be what (further) damage this could cause to the name of Jamaica on the international scene - our tourist industry, our investment prospects, our international dealing in the money markets of the world? Do they for one moment think that publishing such a statistic can accrue in any way to the benefit of Jamaica either at home or abroad?

This idea of publishing such numbers in such prominence in our leading paper represents perhaps the most retrograde step ever in hindering those trying to promote Brand Jamaica abroad. We never cease to shoot ourselves in our collective feet just when we need it least of all.

I am, etc.,

LANCE ROBINSON

lrobinson22@gmail.com