Dear Editor,

I write in reference to your page one editorial of May 25, “It’s been a long time coming”.

Before going into the contents, I would like to express my sympathy to the families, friends, and relatives of members of the security forces and the decent and law-abiding citizens of Tivoli Gardens and adjoining communities who have lost loved ones in the current civil unrest in Western Kingston.

That said, I wholeheartedly support the sentiments echoed by your editorial. In fact, I regard your editorial as a well-outlined lesson for the crisis that now engulfs Jamaica, despite its tardiness.

Interestingly, Betty-Ann Blaine, Chris Burns, Jean Lowrie-Chin, Lloyd B. Smith are among the few of your columnists who in past and recent times have commented and warned readers of the danger that had been forthcoming. If my memory serves me right, Betty-Ann Blaine had gone as far as appealing to the Jamaican electorate, just prior to the last general election, to withhold their votes as a means of protesting against the unbecoming behaviour of our politicians.

The problems and the mayhem that now beset Jamaica, as well as the beatings and bad publicity inflicted upon her by the foreign press in recent times must be placed squarely on the shoulders of our self-serving politicians. Some of that blame must also be attributed to the private sector. Truth be told, the private sector plays a very integral part in the funding of political parties. While there may be nothing illegal about the private sector funding political parties, the private sector has a duty to see, or for that matter ensure that politicians and political parties, especially those receiving its funding, behave as decent citizens ought to behave.

Based on television footage coming out of Tivoli Gardens, it is indeed frightening to see general purpose machine guns (GPMG) at the ready mounted on army vehicles in such proximity. Equally frightening is the intelligence coming from the security forces that the men operating in Tivoli Gardens have had at their disposal grizzly 50-boar rifles, and were very well prepared to use them. GPMG’s and grizzly 50-boar rifles are extremely lethal weapons and are not usually recommended for close-quarter encounters. By definition, Tivoli Gardens is a close-quartered environment.

Assuming that the intelligence gathered by the security forces is correct, it would be downright foolish of the security forces to enter Tivoli Gardens without the weaponry needed to counter grizzly 50-boar rifles attached. There can be no denying that the security forces have been operating under adverse and extraordinary circumstances. Operating under those conditions requires drastic measures. Unfortunately, collateral damage often occurs, as a result of drastic measures.

In closing, I am compelled to share with you a verse and the refrain from the song, Last Thing on My Mind, made popular by Tom Paxton and which subsequently became a hit song for the legendary Delroy Wilson:

It’s a lesson too late for the learning,

Made of sand, made of sand;

In the wink of an eye my soul is turning,

In your hand, in your hand.

Are you goin’ away with no word of farewell?

Will there be not a trace left behind?

I could have loved you better, I didn’t mean to be unkind,

You know that was the last thing on my mind.

Inasmuch as I consider your editorial to be somewhat late, I do believe that the lesson outlined in it is not one that is too late for the learning. I also believe that the lesson needs to be reinforced. Such reinforcement can only come about by you upping the tone and increasing the frequency of such editorials.

Do not be deterred by the recent threats upon media houses.

Ian D Martin

Brooklyn, New York

idm5464@aol.com