We are deeply concerned about what appears to be a common theme of lawlessness in the issues that this newspaper has been highlighting over the past few days.

From the tragic comedy of errors that the investigation of the death of former Pakistan cricket coach, Mr Bob Woolmer, has become, to the predicaments hanging over at least two Spanish hotels on the North Coast, to the brazen robbery of 17 tourists and breaches of the political code of conduct in the form of vandalism and assault, the lawlessness seems to be almost orchestrated to tarnish the country's international image.

Thankfully, the relevant authorities with direct responsibility for these areas of concern appear to have put the necessary mechanisms in place to resolve these issues with the appointment of former president of the local appellate court, Mr Justice Ian Forte, to conduct an enquiry into the investigation of the Woolmer case; court intervention to address the irregularities identified by local government authorities on the construction scenes in Montego Bay concerning the Riu Club hotel and the Fiesta group's Palladium hotel in Point, Hanover; planned symbolic peace walks to discourage the type of political violence that has wreaked havoc in the lives of so many in the past; and enhanced security strategies to protect the citizenry and the country's visitors.

However, there's no getting around the costs - financial and otherwise - that attend these issues. Mr Justice Forte will have to be properly compensated for the time and effort that he will expend on the enquiry. Court intervention in the case of both hotels will engender enormous costs and create unnecessary controversy about the viability of the local investment climate.

Then there's the cost of equipment and extra manpower to police a criminal environment that has intangible consequences in terms of the patronage it has turned away from this country. The majority of these costs will, of necessity, be borne by the taxpayers, who, we submit, deserve a better deal.

Unfortunately, the stage has yet to be set for the realisation of the ideal which has eluded us as a country for so long.
What is going to happen at the end of Mr Justice Forte's enquiry? Will his recommendations be adopted or will they, like so many others before, go the way of the buffalo due to a lack of resources and will to implement them?

And how will the saga of the 'Spanish invasion' play out? Will Riu and the Fiesta group just defy the local government authorities to the future detriment of the country's environmental legacy?
We're almost afraid to wonder how the political and security issues will be resolved.

Will 'peace walks', and more police manpower translate to the transformation of the mentalities responsible for the defacing of the billboard bearing the image of St Elizabeth Mayor Franklyn Witter, and the injury of the four Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters highlighted in yesterday's newspaper article?
It is in our best interest as a country to insist on the appropriate resolution of these issues if we are ever to realise our true potential.

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'

Cheeky's World