Doing things the Jamaican way
Published:Friday | July 30, 2010 | 12:00 AM
The Editor, Sir:
Have you ever been to a bank, government office, school and very often private companies and found that only one side of the double door/ gate is open? You grab hold of the door handle and pull and you end up face to face with the doorjamb. Does this mean that we are only half-open for business? Why do we do that?
It is saying that you must want to be in the store/office to fight your way in. Then, the employees really put you under 'heavy manners'. And you are spending your hard-earned money!
The parking attendant at a New Kingston parking lot refused to allow a motorist to leave the lot without paying the prescribed $50 fee for parking. This took place at 4 p.m. during the week. The result was gridlock in New Kingston for 30 minutes while a 'tracing match' went on between the combatants. The motorist wanted a 'bly'; the attendant wanted respect and to exercise her authority. The traffic snarl set the pace for the peak-hour travel time.
We want to fight crime - zero tolerance! 'All tief mus trimble'! Declaration of a state of emergency! Overrun Tivoli Gardens, with 73 dead! 'Tief' on the run, with murders and other crimes drastically reduced. The people are starting to feel that the Government is finally allowing the security forces to do the job taxpayers are footing the bill for. Then we hear "no more state of emergency" and immediately the murderers are back in operation.
Form over substance - every time. We grasp at the shadow and not the substance. Are we not entitled to feel safe in our homes, or on the streets? Are there some sinister forces at work that stifle any attempt to stabilise the country?
I am, etc.,
DAYTON WOOD