So Mr. Golding has taken the reins of power with promises of a new, better course, a course that will take Jamaica to a place where "not everyone may be rich, but no-one has to be poor." One hopes that the swearing in of this government will mark the start of a new chapter in Jamaican politics where there is more positive action than rhetoric and one in which the rights and interests of the Jamaican people will be protected and pursued respectively. We've all heard lots and lots of promises in the past from both parties, and the first hundred days of Mr. Golding's stewardship will be watched closely by the public, many of whom suspect that he may have bought his license and are therefore doubtful of his "driving ability".
To his credit, Orett appears to be on the right track so far, with promises of reducing government red tape and abolishing transfer taxes scoring him brownie points with the private sector and the middle class and plans to work more closely with the opposition than previous administrations silencing some of his detractors for now. It's still early though, and we'll all be watching the construction of Mr. Golding's course very closely to see if it turns out to be an eight lane highway to prosperity or a dirt track to the politics of yester-year.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Friday, May 04, 2007
Tesha Miller and bail
I was pleased to see the JCF being proactive and arresting Clansman gang leader Tesha Miller as soon as he landed in the island after being deported from the US. I did wonder though, how the fuck did someone who was arrested and charged for a triple murder, got bail, and was arrested and charged with murder AGAIN, get bail AGAIN??? Is it just me, or is there something seriously wrong with that picture?
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that suspects should be denied bail, but c'mon!! Arrested for a total of four murders and still granted bail??? Parliament needs to start looking at these issues and fixing them instead of bickering and grandstanding. The police force has its shortcomings, but the blame for this one lays squarely at the feet of the politicians. They have the power to amend the Bail Act and should do so, as well as whatever else they can to help the JCF overcome the challenges they face. Portia, the time you and Omar spent figuring out where the fuck you're going to find $250 million a year to finance free health care for minors (probably by increasing the user fees for adults, no such thing as a free lunch) could have been spent identifying outdated laws that desperately need amending and starting dialogue with the relevant parties on the fastest way to initiate those changes.
It would get you more votes than dishing out 1000 lbs of chicken back and rice ever could. And guess what? It would be something that actually helps the country. Imagine that!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that suspects should be denied bail, but c'mon!! Arrested for a total of four murders and still granted bail??? Parliament needs to start looking at these issues and fixing them instead of bickering and grandstanding. The police force has its shortcomings, but the blame for this one lays squarely at the feet of the politicians. They have the power to amend the Bail Act and should do so, as well as whatever else they can to help the JCF overcome the challenges they face. Portia, the time you and Omar spent figuring out where the fuck you're going to find $250 million a year to finance free health care for minors (probably by increasing the user fees for adults, no such thing as a free lunch) could have been spent identifying outdated laws that desperately need amending and starting dialogue with the relevant parties on the fastest way to initiate those changes.
It would get you more votes than dishing out 1000 lbs of chicken back and rice ever could. And guess what? It would be something that actually helps the country. Imagine that!
Waste not, want not
It seems as if someone's finally getting serious about holding people accountable for littering, which, by the way, is one of my pet peeves. The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has started a new programme aimed at reducing the number of litterbugs and increasing public awareness on the topic. I think it's good idea and am curious to know how they plan to scale the program and how they track the people who've been warned instead of ticketed.
I'm a bit concerned about this aspect of the program - if someone doesn't have an ID or the warnings aren't tracked then how will the officers ensure compliance? Come to think of it, how do they ticket people without ID?
One can only hope that all these challenges were resolved before the programme was rolled out and that the program will be a success.
I'm a bit concerned about this aspect of the program - if someone doesn't have an ID or the warnings aren't tracked then how will the officers ensure compliance? Come to think of it, how do they ticket people without ID?
One can only hope that all these challenges were resolved before the programme was rolled out and that the program will be a success.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Great Job JCF...
I'd like to take a moment to commmend the JCF for the impeccably planned and perfectly executed operation that was carried out in Montego Bay in the early hours of Monday morning.
The detention of 109 men in pursuit of 2 wanted men is not only an impressive 1.8% conversion rate of detainees to actual suspects, but shows an exceptional understanding of community relations - after being detained for almost an entire day, the men will inarguably now hold the police in high esteem and will be confident in the police force's crime fighting prowess and their ability to serve the public interest.
To those who wonder why the police didn't appear to have a picture of the wanted men, which would have made it easier to identify the men at the scene of the operation instead of carting 109 men down to the police station with scant regard for their time or freedom I say phooey! Why would the police need a photograph? Why not have the men take a tour of the police station (with an extended tour of the holding cells) to foster better community relations? Kill two birds with one stone to rass!! Brilliant!!
Superintendent McGregor, you deserve a promotion - no, I'm serious. What you and your men have done embodies the type of forward thinking that the police force needs and will go a long way to help the police gain the trust of the people that Mark Shields and the grammatically challenged CCN officers implore almost daily to come forward with information about crimes. I have no doubt that you'll have people lining up to give you information after this latest operation.
Great job supe, great job.
The detention of 109 men in pursuit of 2 wanted men is not only an impressive 1.8% conversion rate of detainees to actual suspects, but shows an exceptional understanding of community relations - after being detained for almost an entire day, the men will inarguably now hold the police in high esteem and will be confident in the police force's crime fighting prowess and their ability to serve the public interest.
To those who wonder why the police didn't appear to have a picture of the wanted men, which would have made it easier to identify the men at the scene of the operation instead of carting 109 men down to the police station with scant regard for their time or freedom I say phooey! Why would the police need a photograph? Why not have the men take a tour of the police station (with an extended tour of the holding cells) to foster better community relations? Kill two birds with one stone to rass!! Brilliant!!
Superintendent McGregor, you deserve a promotion - no, I'm serious. What you and your men have done embodies the type of forward thinking that the police force needs and will go a long way to help the police gain the trust of the people that Mark Shields and the grammatically challenged CCN officers implore almost daily to come forward with information about crimes. I have no doubt that you'll have people lining up to give you information after this latest operation.
Great job supe, great job.
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