Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter

A FORMER member of parliament is calling on Prime Minister Bruce Golding and Opposition Leader Portia Simpson Miller to walk away from their garrison constituencies as the first sign of their commitment to dismantle these killing fields.

With communities labelled garrisons being the theatre for more than 80 per cent of the murders across the island since the start of this year, the calls have been increasing for a dismantling of these enclaves. Garrison communities are characterised by predominant electoral support for a particular political party by means of intimidation.

Last week religious, political and community leaders who attended a Gleaner Editors' Forum agreed that the garrisons were blights on the face of the country, and proposed several measures to dismantle them.

Controversial proposal

But none of the proposals was as controversial as the one put on the table by former People's National Party (PNP) member of parlia-ment, Heather Robinson.

Robinson, who resigned her South Central St Catherine seat in 1996 because of what she said were unacceptable demands from criminals, argued that efforts to dismantle the garrisons would fail as long as Golding (West Kingston) and Simpson Miller (South West St Andrew) remain in charge of garrison constituencies.

"I am not saying that the residents of these communities are to be abandoned or left alone. I'm simply saying that you are to send clear signals to them that you are not interested in that sort of politics anymore," Robinson told the Gleaner editors last week.

Robinson has made no secret of her dislike for criminals, and in the lead-up to the 2002 general election she walked away from her role on the campaign team of a PNP candidate in St Thomas, after she said one of his supporters was seen with an illegal gun.

That did not win her any friends in the PNP at a time when she was not fully forgiven by Comrades who were upset at her decision to resign in 1996 and point fingers at thugs associated with the party.

But Robinson refused to be intimidated and her knowledge of the garrisons leaves her uncon-vinced by claims that the presence of these high-profile political leaders will lead to changes in these communities which are characterised by armed gangs, widespread poverty and mostly monolithic political affiliation.

"They have to lead by example, they have to disengage from the criminals. These communities are being led by criminals and have voted overwhelmingly (90+ per cent) for both parties.

"It would be a symbolic cutting of the (umbilical) cord and then by practical demonstrations to prove that the cord has really been cut."

She is supported by NDM General Secretary, Michael Williams, who believes the political leaders are sending a wrong message in their desire to hang on to safe seats.

"It might not be the political expedient thing to do when you look at party politics, but if you love your country more than you love the party then it is something you would do," he tells The Sunday Gleaner.

Garrison politics

Williams, who was at Golding's side when they formed the NDM in 1995, is extremely disappointed in the prime minister, who had denounced garrison politics and resigned from the Jamaica Labour Party.

Williams is not convinced that there is the political will to dismantle the garrisons. He says every gang warfare taking place in the country today has its genesis in garrison communities.

"It is in their (the politicians) vested interest that they maintain the garrisons, and that is what the policies of both government have been over the years, despite the talk."

According to Williams, the claim by Golding that he is working from the inside to dismantle the garrison is nothing more than an attempt to justify his decision to hang on to a sure seat.

University of the West Indies lecturer and PNP activist, Damion Crawford, who participated in the Editors' Forum, has also dismissed the proposal.

Crawford says Golding and Simpson Miller are perfectly placed to carry out the social and economic changes needed to transform the garrisons and reduce the power of criminal dons.