Gun amnesty, a waste of time

The simple plan is to extend amnesty to all the gun-toting criminals in the country who will willingly surrender their firearms and other weapons which, with the aid of the "Soca Warriors" will be collected and presumably thrown into the deep blue sea.

This of course is wishful thinking of the highest order on the part of two grown men who should certainly be far more realistic and capable of a far more constructive plan that would at least have some chance of success.

Like the saw and hammer are tools of the trade to the carpenter or joiner, the gun and other lethal weapons are tools of trade to the murderer, criminal or kidnapper and it is ludicrous to think for one moment that a self-respecting criminal is going to willingly surrender the tools of his or her trade, especially with no visible means of alternative support even in the distant future. Although the success of the Soca Warriors in their recent match in Bahrain brought a short measure of joy and jubilation to a large section of the local community and provided an occasion for merriment and imbibement, it has not in any way had the slightest impact on the crime situation in the country which, has in fact to date surpassed the average rate for 2005.

I regret to say that it is high time that Jack and Bas awake from their dream world and face the realities of our existing situation and come up with a far more effective and workable plan to combat the existing crime situation which, is progressively worsening with each passing day and with no sign of abatement anywhere in the foreseeable future, regardless of all the blimps and boats and armed helicopters and eyes in the sky that our incapable and ineffective government has to far put in place and which has so far incurred a tremendous waste of taxpayers dollars that could have been far better spent.

The murder rate now stands at 15 in 11 days or 1.36 per day, from 1.06 in 2005.

MARTIN KAVANAGH

La Romaine