By Lambert Brown , Guest columnistLIKE ALL law-abiding citizens I would like to see the success of Operation Kingfish. The Jamaican people deserve security in their home, at work and on the street. For too long the criminal dons and crime bosses have operated as if they own Jamaica and we are their subjects to be murdered, robbed, extorted and maimed at their beck and call. With at least six full weeks left in this year over 1,200 persons have already been murdered. This makes the murder toll the highest it has ever been in the history of Jamaica. You can literally feel the fear of our people. Businesses are affected as more and more citizens refuse to go out at nights and it is estimated that crime has adversely affected our GDP by approximately four per cent.
It is against this background that so many of us welcomed the announcement of Operation Kingfish. We all desperately want to find a resolution to this horrendous and blood-curdling crime situation. My concern is that so many other crime initiatives have been announced with much fanfare and hope but fizzled out like damp squibs.
DIFFERENT
The Minister of National Security assured us in his Kingfish announcement that "...this initiative is different from previous efforts in the long and difficult struggle against violent crime and the unacceptable murder rate". Truly I want to trust his words but unfortunately it appears that the more things remain the same is the more some people tell us that it has changed. Ask the family of the young Northern Caribbean University student murdered in Mandeville in the past week if they trust the minister's word? Let's be honest, do you feel any safer since the announcement of Operation Kingfish? I certainly don't!
The impression I have is that our security officials are more into public relations spin than seriously fighting and winning the war against organised crime. In developed countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Spain etc., we hear news of kingfishes in terror cells, organised crime rings and/or other serious offences being rounded up and arrested after thorough investigations. After the arrest, then comes the announcement of the capture of these criminals, not before. The arrests are then followed up with successful prosecution and conviction. This is how serious crime-fighters work; not so in Jamaica. Our Government and police officials make grand announcement of anti-crime plans and what they intend to do against gangs before they even start arresting one sprat much less a kingfish. By doing things in this 'backway' manner our authorities give notice to the criminals to get out of the way and avoid being captured.
STUPIDITY
This occurs crime plan after crime plan. However, instead of calling the authorities to account for this stupidity our private sector leaders congratulate the political bosses with pious statements of how "impressed we are with the minister's presentation". No wonder a former US Ambassador once correctly identified the great national characteristics of Jamaicans to applaud 'announcements' rather than the outcome of the announcement. There might have been changes of ambassadors but we maintain our adoration of words over deeds.
Honestly, I think that we, the citizens, must take the blame for this high murder rate because we accept and put up with it, without criticism or protesting the incompetence that passes for leadership in the 'anti-crime way'. An American presidential contender once said that the hallmark of a good politician is the ability to recognise that the voters have short memories. He said that this meant that a good politician is one who is able to repeat the same things over and over with the voters not realising what was happening. On that score I am sure, you would agree that we have exceptionally great politicians in Jamaica.
In December 2002, the Minister of Security announced a major anti-crime plan. Part of that plan was "a detachment of the country's finest detectives assigned to the newly-formed Major Investigating Team (MIT) has been drafted on board". Whatever happened to that team of "finest detectives"? Is Operation Kingfish the reincarnation of that team?
Also in December 2002, the Commissioner of Police told journalists "that the intelligence capability of the police force has been greatly improved and police personnel are focusing on organised crime, gangs and other groups and are now preparing a list of names as well as arrest and search warrants, which are expected to assist the police..." The people on that list, we were told, were the people who the police believed were contributing significantly to the crime situation in Jamaica.
At that time in 2002, none other than the Prime Minister stated in a national broadcast, that the "gangs and their styles of operation have been identified." So the police knew at least from as far back as 2002 who they were. Now, two years after, at the launch of "Operation Kingfish" we are once again told by the Minister of National Security, "The main aim of the task force is to break up the organised and criminal gangs that are the root of most of the gun violence." The Minister went further to say that "known organised criminal gangs and their activities will be targeted..."
My reaction then was: I heard that already, same old stale story? I wonder what is your reaction, now that you know our leaders are exceptionally great politicians?
ADVERTISING
Now they are advertising that they need the help of us the ordinary citizens to bring these people to justice. What happened to these finest detectives and the several squads assigned to win this battle against the criminal underworld?
So far, after 24 days of Operation Kingfish I am yet to see a major success here in Jamaica. Neither are we told what are the signposts we must use to judge whether or not we are winning the war to save our citizens from the band of murderers who now occupy our blessed land with seeming impunity. Forgive me if I don't count the latest drug bust in international waters as a Kingfish success. See, I remember the Ship-rider agreements that allowed for American and British ships to interdict drug smugglers in international waters. I recall that those security assets existed and have been successfully deployed long before Operation Kingfish. There are some of us who are not so gullible and have long memories. Let's catch real Kingfishes and avoid the King spins.
Lambert Brown is first vice-president
of the UAWU and can be contacted at
lappoyh@yahoo.com.
