Joseph should listen to Portia

Her diplomacy was evident in her demeanour and her responses to questions depicted that she possessed a clear understanding of macro-situations, especially matters involving national security. She did not comment on the decision in Mr Panday’s case and she addressed the other questions with finesse and depth.

She agreed that crime is a growing concern that needs attention. But it was most edifying to hear her reply to a question on crime by saying, “Any good crime fighter will not announce his crime fighting strategies.” This is the lesson to be learned by our Minister of National Security and others who seem not to understand that.

We can always expect some sort of announcement from our Minister of National Security about what government is doing to stem the escalating crime. He does this in such a manner that the most puerile thinking criminal could draft out a plan to show the ineffectiveness of his strategy. I doubt his advisor agrees with his approaches to dealing with crime, but he might very well not oppose, and we know why.

He boasted about the “Blimp” and its capabilities, he gave all sorts of explanations about “the Sky watch” or “Eye in the Sky,” he announced the arrival of a new “Sky ship” with improved technology for listening to conversations on land while in the air, he advised the whole population about the potential of the ‘helicopter’ as an asset to deal with kidnappings and other crimes committed at night. Even those involved in crime were privy to his information. Somehow he seems not to understand the difference between what to say, and how to say what he has to say.

He has even managed to convince the Commissioner of Police, the Assistant Commissioner “Mobile” and Comm-ander of the Special Anti-Crime Unit that they should follow his example. They therefore, announce openly what they will be doing, where they will conduct it, and the times they will be out, so the real criminals are forewarned to stay clear.

The lesson from the Jamaican prime minister on issues of national security will become more important to him when he realises that kidnapping and murders were on the decline in the first quarter of 2006, but as soon as he started to boast about his successes, the criminals started over their campaign. Is it that he does not like to listen to the people who know what they are doing?