Dear Editor,
I am very concerned about the way in which crime and violence is taking its toll on our country. Instead of things getting better, they continue to get worse. Last year this man-made monster swept the four corners of the island like an unexpected tsunami. Now when things should be looking up for us, 2008 seem to be an even bigger disaster. We are just into the third month of the year and have already recorded over 470 murders alone.
My heart is bleeding and at the same time I'm very confused. How did so many guns get here? With the prevalence of guns and ammunitions in our country, it is almost impossible to curtail crime and violence. There are more emerging 'border lines' within our communities and a number of reputed dons. They say behind every strong man there is a strong woman but who is the strong man behind these dons?
The last time I checked there were no gun stores in Jamaica and the price of an average gun is far above the budget of those who own them. It is ludicrous to think that you can give power to a man and then take it away in an instance. He is going to fight with his life to keep that power because power represents strength and a vast amount of control. It is now a matter of who has more
control and which community owns the most rifles.
I tend not to pay much attention to peace treaties and 'one love' dances because they are just charades. These mock attempts of bringing peace and unity in my opinion are very intelligent ways of keeping the police out of these destructive communities. The guns must go now! We need to find a way of destroying mans most powerful weapon if we are to restore calm and stability to our nation. "But how?" is the question I am still trying to fathom.