Dear Editor,

As a first-hand witness to the recent brazen daylight heist in Ocho Rios, I feel compelled to share some lessons learnt in the mayhem.

The first was that, despite all the negative press Jamaica has received because of the few hot-headed, perverse and unconscionable criminals, several noteworthy traits abound amongst Jamaicans.

On Monday, civic duty, kindness and team work were some such traits on display. This was seen not only in the security officers’ and civilians’ joint, quick response to the robbery, but also in the way that neighbouring businesses sought to protect their customers and employees alike. I wish to commend all those unsung heroes.

The second lesson is simply that as a collective people we do not learn enough from our immediate past. Cambios (for obvious reasons) are known to be some of the more frequently targeted business entities during the Yuletide season, yet there was insufficient security at the Ocean Village Cambio. This not only made that Cambio vulnerable, but also spread the risk to neighbouring businesses.

The third lesson is that God is still in control. I cannot realistically or logically excuse the outcome of this ordeal as an act of sheer luck when taking into consideration all that could have gone wrong.

During the shoot-out, vehicles transporting tourists were pierced by bullets but no tourists were reported injured. Non-thinking and hysterical Jamaicans who ran in the direction of the shooting instead of away from it were thankfully not injured or taken hostage. Nearby businesses with glass-framed infrastructure remained intact and like a true to life Hollywood film the antagonists met their final destination.

Danique Williams