Eight of 15 prominent Jamaicans wrote down the need for a big chop in the crime rate, especially murders, on their 2007 wish list compiled by the Observer over the weekend.

Those hoping that crime would be significantly reduced this year were:

. Chris Zacca, president of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ)

. Doreen Frankson, head of the Jamaica Manufacturers Association (JMA)

. Michael Ammar, past president of the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce

. Wayne Chen, CEO of SuperPlus

. Winston Dear, former president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce

. Dr Patrick Allen, head of the Seventh-day Adventist Church

. Marcia Forbes, former general manager of Television Jamaica

. Astley ‘Grub’ Cooper, lead singer for the Fabulous Five band.

The other seven personalities gave a mixed list covering child welfare, an end to poverty, need for a clear direction for the nation, a Christ-centred family life and the need for fundamental change.

They were:

. Lisa Hanna, former Miss World

. Rev Dr Aaron “Dear Pastor” Dumas, columnist and radio talk show host

. Kingsley Cooper, head of Pulse Investments

. Patrick Lafayette, station manager Kool-FM radio

. Audrey Hinchcliffe, head of the Jamaica Employers Federation (JEF)

. Dr Patricia Holness, CEO of the Registrar General’s Department (RGD)

. Pauline Reid, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI)

“I would love to see an even more massive cut in crime, in particular murders,” said Zacca who whipped Scotiabank’s Bill Clarke to assume the presidency of the umbrella PSOJ at year-end.

Zacca also wanted the Government, Opposition and the private sector to work together this year “to create an environment that would stimulate tremendous growth for the country”.

JMA’s Frankson hoped that the nation would work together this year to get the country out of its difficulties, including a reduction in the crime rate. She also saw the need for more jobs and growth in the economy which would facilitate that.

“Jamaica is such a wonderful country. Progress has been made, but we need to come together, to face our challenges together,” Frankson said.

Ammar said he had three wishes for 2007: “One, a massive reduction in crime, especially murders; two, a massive reduction in crime and three, a massive reduction in crime.”

“Even though the murder rate has fallen, it is still much too high. Crime is devastating the people of the country,” Ammar said.

Chen, who runs the SuperPlus supermarket chain, wished for peace for Jamaica, saying that violence was holding the country back. “It is making the people unhappy, and it is causing them to give up hope.”

Montego Bay’s Dear hoped for a return to a civil society, with a diminished crime rate, saying it had gotten out of control. “I also hope the government gets the malaria outbreak under control because if it gets out of hand not only will our people suffer but our tourist industry too. Additionally I wish everybody all the best for 2007, which I think will be a good year. We just need to work hard and get on with the business of productivity.”

Head of the West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Dr Allen prayed for the violence to abate in 2007 and that the country could enjoy “a sense of peace and serenity”.

“I hope that we can live at peace with each other and fellowship in unity. We can achieve economic growth and prosperity if we live in peace and work hard,” he insisted.

Forbes wanted a reduction in crime, particularly murders “by at least 30 per cent year on year”. She also wanted good governance and economic growth, through “greater use of our intellectual capital”.

“I would love to see us become the kinder, gentler society that we once were. And I hope that the deejays and producers would cut down on the highly violent and sexual lyrics,” Forbes said.

Cooper, a veteran musician, also hoped for a peaceful year in which the criminals would develop “a consciousness about what they can do for their country and not what their country can do for them”.

“I would like to see our people showing a different attitude, one in which we show more love and put greater reliance on our tradition of caring, especially for the children. That way we can solve our social problems,” Cooper argued.

Hanna, who is a communications specialist and mother, desires “a full commitment to getting the children off the streets of Jamaica” and provision of a safe environment for them.

“My wish is that all our children would be educated and that they would be allowed to experience their childhood in the way children should, that all Jamaicans would throw their weight behind this reality,” added Hanna who has just emerged from a child custody battle.

“I can’t tell you how much it breaks my heart when I see children on the road, wiping windscreens. I hope that this year we will find a way to ensure that their physical and emotional well-being is assured.”

Rev Dumas, who is also pastor of the First Baptist Church at Sandringham Avenue in Kingston, said if he had his way “with one stroke of the pen I would remove poverty”.

“I hate the thought that a man can’t meet his bills. I hate to see so many poor people around. I hope that this year the low-income people will be able to do better financially,” said Dumas.

“My dream,” said Pulse’s Cooper, “would be that all Jamaicans, across the spectrum of race, class and political affiliation, collectively face our challenges and recognise the need for fundamental change.”

Cooper hoped that Jamaicans would “appreciate the value of unity, sacrifice and hard work” and would “embrace the kind of radical new thinking that would unleash the creative abilities of our people, in the process providing much greater opportunity for Jamaicans from all walks of life”.

“We are running out of time and options. This is really a God-blessed place because we have not been able to mash it up, despite our best efforts,” he suggested.

Kool-FM’s Lafayette advocated a greater focus on the Jamaican national anthem and what it symbolises – “the need to go back to basics because sometimes we forget”.

The disc jock said the anthem was a prayer and a call to unity. “We need to involve ourselves with the words of this great prayer.”

Hinchcliffe of the JEF said the country needed “a sense of direction”. “I don’t know where we are, what path the country is on.” she complained.

“At the beginning of the year, we should be feeling a sense of direction. We are hearing that things are happening but we are not seeing the evidence,” said Hinchcliffe.

She worried that many of the construction projects announced would not be realised. “Where are we getting the skills from, the cement, the aggregates, the project financing for those schools, bridges, hotels? Who is going to manage them? We keep approving funds for projects but they can’t get off the ground because there is no support for them.”

Holness, who this morning will lead a team to deliver the first free birth certificates to babies born as of this year, prayed for “a Christ-centred family life” for Jamaicans, that would impact the society “and the enhancement of socially accepted values, genuine love and respect for each other”.

For Montego Bay’s Reid, her “first wish is for the realisation of the true legacy of Cricket World Cup 2007, namely the capitalisation of the opportunity to showcase Montego Bay as the premier tourism destination”.

“Of course, this will be synonymous with the need for a sustainable programme to ensure that the city gets cleaned up and beautified in time for the big tournament and maintained beyond the big event. This will mean that we as a chamber will continue to lobby and cooperate with all the relevant agencies to ensure that this objective is met,” she said.