Stop the politics over crime

THE EDITOR: There are those who smugly see the murders, kidnappings and crime on the whole, as problems born in and spreading from the ghetto and the slums, the breeding grounds of the criminal subspecies. Myopic political impressions declare that the problem is the fault of the other party as MP Roodal Moonilal pronounced recently in his constituency. Others point to the omnipresent race spectre haunting our mongrelised society, they are driven by their private demons — their solution, and their panacea lies in racial purity. The gurus sit and chant their boring mantra: “We told you so. We told you so.”

We cannot indulge in the irresponsible stupidity of politicising this tide of criminal violence that threatens all of us. Crime has no particular constituency. Its victims may be black, brown or white. The blood is always red. The corpses have no social status — they’re all equally dead. Grieving family, friends and associates shed salty tears — rich, articulate, educated or the poor, duncey, drug addict — the human condition is the common denominator. What kind of ghoul would want to feed on this pain? Who is so insensitive as to seek political glory in the grief and hurt of other human beings? Moonilal must know that we have no time for the “it ain’t we, is them” syndrome. He has to resist the shallow impulse to indulge in the pettiness of party propaganda. No serious citizen is going to exploit this situation for purposes that promote the blinkered crew of some party hacks.

His party leader cannot continue to rant about constitutional reform and refuse to accept responsibility for the safety and welfare of our citizens. Now is the time for all our leaders to present a truly united front to the common enemy — the drug dealer, the kidnapper, the armed bandit. We, of every creed and race, must attack this problem with full force! The message must be loud and clear, and above all unanimous — there is zero tolerance for crime. This is not the time for our leaders to wage war on one another and let the public menace stalk the land with impunity. Come on Mr Panday, experienced politician, former Prime Minister, show some testicular fortitude even in your grey hairs. Be a patriot. Lead your team in the national interest to offer meaningful support to the government. Do not waste time in eristic dispute. Offer no comfort to the criminals. Assure us that in spite of the occasional senile slip you are a serious, patriotic, principled politician.

THOMAS WILLIAMS
Arima