No peace in problem-riddled Jamaica

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I DO not expect my lone voice to make a difference because, in Jamaica, justice is not only blind but deaf, dumb - and slothful as well. However, I do believe that I may be able to strike a chord which may resonate through the few of us who, although we are law-abiding citizens, seem to be the target of many unfair situations occurring in Jamaica at present. Just some of the things that have gotten my goat lately are:

1. Having to drive on bad roads with suicidal road rapists (I call some drivers this because all they live to do is to take your road rights from you by force) and, most of the time, having to pay a toll to do this.

2. Being treated poorly by companies with which you have had long-standing relationships - is there no loyalty anymore, especially at the bank?

3. Having to pay too much for over-rated tertiary institutions for little educational stimulation or satisfaction and being lectured by the uncaring and inept, who expect us to perform outdated practices that they themselves do not believe in. (How can a difference be made if you yourself balked at the unfair treatment from your own lecturers, yet justify behaving in the same fashion because this is what happened to you?).

4. Being lured to partake in improving the Jamaican economy then being violated as your car is robbed and the things which you worked so hard to acquire are stolen.

5. Being violated (again) when the police look right in your face and tell you that this happens all the time (who cares!) but that you can still make a report - who knows, you might get lucky (ha ha).

6. Being violated (again) when it costs so much money to replace your life after said robbery

7. Being violated again when people who should have some modicum of customer service treat you with such a lack of compassion (no-one empathises anymore; Jamaicans these days are so desensitised, it's terrifying).

8. Being lured to partake in improving the Jamaican economy and then unceremoniously having your car towed to the impound lot Downtown (have you ever been there past 7 p.m.?).

Usually, the authors of such rants as mine offer some sort of salve for the wounds which they have opened with their words, but this is not one such. Today, my anger is unfocused and my displeasure great. I have no advice to give because of one true revelation that I now realise and will share: We all have our own demons and problems and, no matter what we do to one another, we always find a way to justify what we have done. What can I possibly do to change this? But can we try to change this? Or are we, as a nation, already too far gone?

I am, etc.,

S. Haughton

Portmore

St Catherine