No need for state of emergency
Published:Thursday | July 22, 2010 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
Our politicians really have a knack for transforming any serious issue into a political football, distracting the rest of the Jamaican people from what is really important. The state of emergency is working, they say, and now that it will be lifted, all progress will be lost. If that is really the case, we have much more to worry about.
Why do we really need a state of emergency? If it is to catch law-breakers, process them and reduce crime, then aren't the security forces already lawfully entrusted with the authority to do so within their ordinary powers? As we have all suspected, and as retired Superintendent Reneto Adams so authoritatively stated, the best defence the criminals in this country have had is the protection of the political powers.
If the system already exists, and it does, whereby the security forces can lawfully obtain warrants, detain and charge suspected criminals, and they have the earnest support of the Government, then why wouldn't their ordinary powers suffice? And if they are acting on intelligence, as they say they are, what difficulty should they have carrying out their duties once they have the support of the high-ups and the powerful?
Military operation
The state of emergency was imposed because we had a full-scale military operation in parts of downtown Kingston with casualties and combatants. We had a nationwide manhunt for a high-profile international fugitive. Now that those events are passed, we should just let down the 'subtle' political barriers and allow the security forces to carry out their lawful and ordinary duties.
What has been the outcome of the state of emergency anyway? Record low crime rates, but why? Because the police and soldiers, acting on intelligence, conducted searches in places they suspected they would find criminals? They could do that with warrants without a state of emergency. Because they have issued lists of wanted persons and asked those persons to turn themselves in to their nearest police stations? They don't need extraordinary powers for that. Because they can detain persons longer? They just passed all these stringent new crime bills to amend some of those stipulations.
I say the security forces are doing a fine job, and there are results to be seen because of it. But let us not ignore the fact that they could have been doing this all along if the politicians had decided before now that would support rather than obstruct the course of justice.
I am, etc.,
KIMBERLY LYON