Internal discipline must come first
THE EDITOR: This is a response to Mr Jaggernauth’s letter — "Why no probe?" Mr Jaggernauth is pretending to be simple-minded in his question as to why there were no other probes of police matters. If a policeman or soldier abuses a civilian there is an inquiry procedure for that. If a soldier or policeman disobeys a direct order of his commanding officer, there is also a procedure for that, that is different from the above situation. In the second case, the procedure has to be swift and publicly dealt with. It is the way small groups of men command larger groups of men. The penalties for failing to carry out your duty are observed by other officers who could take their cue from what happens to the first one who "do stupidness." The Roman penalty for desertion from the army was crucifixion, and the bodies hung on poles along the major highways until the sinews disintegrated and the bones fell in heaps. No one was allowed to cut them down. Do you think there were many deserters in that army where men sometimes fought for ten years without getting paid? (Other than room, board, uniform). We hear in the history books a lot about the discipline of the Roman army. The price for failure was death. This is why the Roman army was respected. Those men were fighting for their lives on two fronts. Internal discipline within a military organisation has to be strong and firm, or else all falls down. I am sure Mr Jaggernauth understands this. It is the basis of teachers in the old days adopting a military attitude. It is the basis of the preacher/priest in church standing up to deliver his sermon, or climbing a pulpit to tower over the people. It is the basis of the tall and fierce head-dress some military units wear — it gives greater stature, and intimidated. Discipline within the police service must be maintained before they could discipline the people. There have been probes of police misuse of power. The shooting of a teenager in Diego Martin, a girl, was one case. The shooting of a young man in Carenage was another, and the recent killing of a young man in Point Fortin was a third. In each case, somebody died, so they get pushed to the front burner. We may also ask, and many do ask, whywas no arrest made in the Akiel Chambers case? Mr Jaggernauth’s letter may help push the matters he raised to the forefront of inquiries, but discipline within the police service must come first. All thinking people know, or ought to know that. LINDA EDWARDS
Port-of-Spain
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"Internal discipline must come first"