The Editor, Sir:

The Sunday Gleaner's lead story revealing that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) purchased ammunition from an illegal United States arms dealer is to put mildly, a very frightening situation.

The JCF is the guardian of law and order in Jamaica and to find itself in such a compromising position is very embarrassing not only for the JCF, but also for Jamaica .

This blunder has cast a shadow of incompetence on the entire force and I do not think merely apologising and promising that it will never happen again is good enough.

Should never have happened

This is something that should never have happened. Does this now mean that, to avoid embarrassment, the Ministry of National Security must now change its management style and start micro-managing the JCF as it relates to matters as sensitive as the importation of arms and ammunition?

The procurement of items as sensitive as ammunition for a country requires that the highest level of due diligence be conducted. The Information Age has made it so easy to conduct research and I submit that if a thorough research was done, the JCF would not have found itself in this position.

Cannot buy excuse

Additionally, we cannot buy the excuse that the JCF has done business with this dealer in the past. Situations change overnight and it is only through continuous and in-depth research that we will unearth recent changes.

This serious compromise is going to place the members of the JCF in an untenable position and some are going to find themselves answering to the question: "How come?"

This is also why I proffered that a mere apology may not at all be satisfactory. To be absurd, will an apology exonerate someone who has perpetuated an illegal act and is repentant?

As we try to pick up the pieces and move on, one solution may be to move this very serious and sensitive responsibility to the Ministry of National Security and assign the JCF an advisory role.

I am, etc.,

PAT BIGNALL

wilbig@cwjamaica.com