We have never properly understood how the ruling Jamaica Labour (JLP) and the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) came to be linked with two of Jamaica’s most pernicious gangs – the One Order (JLP) and the Klansman (PNP).

Even more incredibly, neither party has sought in any unequivocal way to de-link its name from either gang over the ensuing years.

On March 11, 2011, however, the PNP did the unthinkable by publicly condemning the dastardly gun attack by the Klansman Gang on police patrols in De la Vega City and on the Spanish Town Police Station in St Catherine, the parish where they maintain headquarters and from where they grant franchises and outsource their murderous and extortionate operations.

The Opposition spokesman on national security, Mr Peter Bunting, in a news release, offered the “Police High Command and their personnel in St Catherine… the full support of the PNP in carrying out the operations to dismantle gangs generally and, in particular, their current efforts targeted at the Klansman Gang in St Catherine”; and “encourage all citizens of goodwill who have information that may assist the police in this regard to come forward, if necessary, using the confidential channels available to them”.

This is indeed refreshing and we wish to commend the PNP, and in particular, Mr Bunting for displaying this apparent level of maturity in their party politics.

One can argue that they should not have had any links to criminal gangs, in the first place. But that is water under the bridge and will not get us anywhere at this juncture. We are prepared to believe that this gesture on the part of the PNP and Mr Bunting is a signal that that political party is putting this destructive phase of party activity behind them.

It would be equally refreshing if the JLP would match this important step taken by the PNP by showing that it no longer has any links to the One Order Gang.

More importantly, both parties should work sincerely with the police to dismantle the gangs by removing all shelter previously provided. This will mean going beyond the usual and now very tired political platitudes they are quick to trot out.

Mr Bunting, for example, expressed the PNP’s support and solidarity with “the law abiding members of those communities such as De la Vega City where this sustained gunfire took place”. Separating, as he did, the law-abiding from the lawless, is critical.

We roundly endorse his message: “The sooner that the scourge of organised criminal gangs can be eliminated from the daily lives of our communities, the better it will be for ordinary citizens to go about their legitimate business and for their children to have the opportunity to grow up in an environment of peace and prosperity.”

We also support Mr Bunting’s call on the Police High Command and the St Catherine Police Divisional leadership to meet with the community leadership to: Increase communication with the citizens on the legitimate purpose, intent, and scope of the ongoing and future police operations, to engender the building of long term trust between the police and the community “which must be the basis for any sustained success in fighting crime”.

The JLP and PNP helped to bring us to this place. They must similarly help to get us out.

Mr Bunting and his JLP counterpart can be assured of space in this newspaper for any effort by their parties to facilitate the dismantling of these gangs.