Dear Editor,

The Bruce Golding-led JLP’s political manoeuvring in the extradition matter of Christopher “Dudus” Coke has been an almost hilarious game of semantics and half-truths. The vague distinction between the JLP and the government was a feckless attempt to deceive the Jamaican people and an insult to our intelligence.

The JLP government’s handling of the situation led to a siege of Kingston by criminals, and even before that denigrated our nation’s name in the international community.

The PNP is not without questionable associations themselves, but they have been fortunate so far that they have never been caught in a blunder of this magnitude. Trafigura pales in comparison, in both international coverage and body count.

For several days in Kingston we were under siege, from Tivoli to Mountain View to Red Hills. Gunshots rang out, roadblocks set up and our security forces ambushed.

The government must now move to apprehend the criminals, crush the gangs and take back the garrisons from the dons and area leaders. The government must open criminal investigations against drug dealers, extortionists and gunmen from both sides of the political spectrum.

It is not possible for the most equitable of men to be a judge in their own cause. The arrogance of Mr Golding and that of the other members of the JLP has surpassed all semblance of decency. Their behaviour has been undaunted by shame in defiance of justice and honour.

Mr Golding’s resignation woud not be a panacea for the ingrained corruption and shortcomings in the present administration, neither would voting in the current PNP line-up to continue the same shameful paradigm in an orange-tinged environment.

The JLP must, however, shed the morally compromised MPs from ministerial positions, starting with Mr Golding.

Ken Baugh, Delroy Chuck, Horace Chang, Andrew Gallimore, Ed Bartlett, Andrew Holness and Christopher Tufton must take over the reins of the government and clean house inside their party also.

The stubborn habit of paying lip service to change, transparency and accountability must be traded for real, sustained results.

Let us offer a prayer for our law enforcement and military personnel as they go about recapturing our country from the criminal gangs.

Kemar Harrison

Kingston 19

kemar@digitalbuzz.com