Wheel, think, and come again

The Editor, Sir:

"Even in incarceration, he is conducting his criminal enterprise. I happen to know about it. I had to order additional security to be assigned to one of my ministers because his assassination was ordered by that individual," Prime Minister Golding said while referring to an incarcerated don.

The prime minister seems to have just made a discovery that the average person, warders and the police are aware of for decades and common sense would suggest that such persons should be in solitary confinement to cut off their links to the society and particularly from managing their criminal enterprises.

We have heard of more dramatic stories of contractors being faced with extortion, refusing a job, then being telephoned by a 'big man' from prison who advised that he must take the job, or else ... . They did their research and knew where he lived, so he took the job and added that money to the potential house owner's bill. This is before the foundation was laid.

These criminal executive officers operate with ruthless efficiency and reporting the matter to the police could cost you your life. So self-preservation kicks in and the matter gets more complicated when corrupt police and other state officials work with them.

No security

Additional security is ordered by the prime minister for one of his Cabinet ministers, another Jamaican citizen. All the other ordinary citizens who have little or no security, including the several hundred assassinated, also needed just a little security.

If the state cannot provide basic needs such as food, clothing, shelter, security and justice, the need for and gravitation to the don's security services will forever exist, no matter how many curfews, temporary policing by occupation and dehumanisation, states of emergency, suppression of human rights and crimes acts, gun courts, mass arrests and exterminations.

If we continue going around in circles, Mr Prime Minister, doing the same things, expecting different results, decades later, we as a society, will be no better off and those of us who believe we are here because of 'Dudus', now behind bars, had better wheel, think and come again.

I am, etc.,

MICHAEL SPENCE

micspen2@hotmail.com

Kingston