No good to hold our heads and bawl

THE EDITOR” “Yes,” says the bard, “we have we problems to face just like any other place, but the things they does say ‘bout here is really too much for me to bear.” The government does not deny there are crime problems. Anyone who denies that would be as asinine as those who proclaim that the criminals have taken over the country and the sky is falling. There are understandable fears among some of us especially after the 1990 tragedy when a mumbling, murderous, megalomaniac led a group of mindless fanatics to plunge the nation into unprecedented horror, and write their names indelibly in smoke and blood in the book of the damned.

The outbreak of kidnappings reminds some of us of the robberies that preceded July 27 1990. The Prime Minister reminded us that there is more (perhaps even less) to the kidnapping, crime situation, than meets the eye. He has not sat down, rubbed his hands together and dismissed the matter. Anyone who has some common sense would understand that in certain areas one does not broadcast what are one’s plans. It is stupid to let the criminals know what your strategies are in detail. Crime is a problem. In spite of what the exalted guru of crime control came here to say, there is still a crime problem in New York. There is no esoteric crime eliminating procedure in the possession of any person, persons, party or society. Like death and taxes, crime is an undesired but inevitable aspect of human life. We must be ever vigilant and socially responsible if we are to keep it in check.

We all have to be our brothers’ keepers. The war on crime is everybody’s business. It is not merely the concern of the government. It boils down to the honest, intelligent, specialist vigilance to protect and serve our society. It means that all our leaders, in politics, religion, education, sports and every field of social activity must accept the responsibility to guide the people in the right way. It will serve the nation no good to hold our heads and bawl. Indeed our leaders should keep their heads and think. This is what I perceive to be the action of the present government. There is now a plan in action. Let us support the agencies of law and order and give no comfort to the criminals who would take away our rights to peace, property, freedom and life.

GEORGE DAMIEN
Port-of-Spain