Lecturer in the Department of Government at the University of the West Indies and political commentator, Richard 'Dickie' Crawford, says it is disappointing that the prime minister has so far not sought to raise or engage the Opposition on the issue of defusing garrisons at a time when the nation is being crippled by gruesome murders.

"We have argued that the issue of crime and violence would obviously be at the top of the agenda of the resumed Vale Royal talks," comments Crawford. "Nothing like this happened. Mr Golding has repeatedly evaded the issue of having a plan to fight crime, of implementing the manifesto proposals, and has instead, resorted to analysing the incapacity of the civil service, the Opposition, the society, and every other group in the society, except his own government, to deal with the murder rate in Jamaica."

number-one concern

The lecturer added: "This has become the number-one issue of concern and disillusionment among many of Mr Golding's own front-line supporters. The Government has been evading the necessity to lead the fight against crime, to the country's peril."

Executive director of the human rights lobby group Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ), Dr Carolyn Gomes, says it is critical that the Government seek to address those communities which are considered garrisons now. She is challenging Government to stop blaming the Opposition and lead the country.

"Nine months later it is your job. There is no more time for playing the politics business," Gomes declares. "The transformation of the garrisons is both a physical as well as a psychological transformation. People have to be empowered ... You have got to transform the people to take their rightful place as citizens in this country able to demand and command proper treatment from the State. It is very disappointing," she continues.

road-map recommendations

While declining to comment on how he would advance the issue of transforming the garrisons, Minister of National Security Colonel Trevor MacMillan suggests that he would be seeking to implement the recommendations from the JLP-commissioned 2006 report: Road Map to a Safe and Secure Jamaica. MacMillan himself had chaired the committee that produced the report, which recommended, among other things, that the two major political parties agree on an action plan to dismantle garrisons and end the practice of giving state contracts to dons or leaders of garrison communities.