Devon Dick

The recent appointment of Colonel Trevor MacMillan as Minister of National Security can be said to be the best and worse of times. In other words, the new Minister of National Security has some good things going for him while on the other hand there are threatening storms.

It is the best of times in the sense that MacMillan comes to the job as the most operationally experienced National Security Minister we have ever had, having served in the Army as well as Commissioner of Police. He is the only one I know of who comes to the office with a Road Map which he was instrumental in designing. He comes to the office with tremendous goodwill from the public. A couple years ago, there was a massive road block on Red Hills Road because of some killings. When I arrived on the scene the residents were clamouring for MacMillan and CVM TV.

More importantly, it is said that he has the confidence of "the power behind the throne". Therefore, he was able to announce his appointment as Cabinet minister before the Prime Minister did it. This is important because MacMillan will need to have confidence to confront the scourge of corruption in his own political party.

Cutting of links

MacMillan's road map calls for the cutting of links between politics and crime and also the dismantling of garrisons. MacMillan is the only one who could touch the PM's garrison constituency.

There are moments that beckon someone. This security crisis calls for a MacMillan. When Dr. Peter Phillips was Minister of National Security he moved decisively against drug dons. It was under Phillips' watch that Kingfish was designed. It was under Phillips' watch that Zekes, a PNP don was charged, arrested and convicted. This Zekes was so powerful that former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson visited him and reportedly thanked him for keeping the peace instead of rioting. One also vividly remembers residents of St Catherine in a PNP area burning Peter Phillips T-Shirts because of his actions against corruption. MacMillan needs a similar strategy and strength to move decisively against JLP Dons.

In addition, MacMillan is the right person to agitate and acquire resources, which have been outlined from the time of Francis Forbes. The Police High Command has been asking for legislative changes for access to the fingerprint database for some time now. MacMillan needs to address efficiencies in the Force as they relate to investigative abilities. Hopefully, the Ian Forte Report that investigated the efficiencies of the Police in the Bob Woolmer fiasco which is on the Minister's desk from September 2007 will be released. He needs to deal with corruption in the Force and better compensation for the hardworking and honest police.

However, it is the worse of times. When MacMillan was Commissioner of Police his results were poor and his administrative decisions successfully challenged. In addition, the crime is multi-faceted.

Crime strategies

Persons who commit murders are brazen. Different strategies are needed for different types of crimes.

How can MacMillan deal with members of a crowd shouting to a mentally ill man to jump from a top floor of a high-rise hospital building? How does MacMillan and the Cabinet deal with the angry poor and anxious rich? This needs social engineering.

Finally, the malaise in the society needs divine intervention and help. People need to be emboldened by the Spirit of God to courageously tackle the corruption in high and low places.