IMPLEMENTATION of the Palisadoes Shoreline Protection and Rehabilitation Programme on the Palisadoes strip in eastern Kingston has come in for considerable criticism because of perceived threats to the environment.

However, like it or not, the project — which has as part of its mandate protection of the Kingston Harbour, the downtown Kingston shoreline and the Norman Manley International Airport — is with us to stay at a construction cost of US$65 million.

In any country which treats such matters in a serious and ordered fashion, thugs and criminals would surely not be endangering the project to the extent that there has to be “a virtual shutdown”.

But yesterday’s Sunday Observer tells us that that is precisely what has happened.

We are told that the contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), has written to the National Works Agency (NWA) complaining of psychological and physical intimidation “including threats to introduce gun violence”. The threats and intimidation are alleged to have been carried out by thugs described as unofficial ‘liaison personnel’ from Eastern Kingston.

We are told that the transport minister, Mr Mike Henry, says he will be reporting the matter to the police commissioner, as, according to the news report, “the time had come for a national security call on the matter”.

But we struggle to believe that this problem developed overnight. There must have been signs and indicators along the way, in which case the “national security call” should have been made some time ago, long before the issue became public knowledge.

We wonder: At what stage did the NWA, which has overarching responsibility for this project, become aware that thugs had taken a neckhold on the project? Has a report been made to the East Kingston police? And if so, what’s been done?

Mr Henry is said to be urging the intervention of the Opposition People’s National Party. We presume he is referring to Mr Phillip Paulwell, who is the member of parliament for East Kingston and Port Royal, and others in the Opposition with political clout in East Kingston.

We suppose it is reasonable to suggest that politicians and other local leaders can help by dint of moral suasion if nothing else. We are well aware that the problem of unemployment is a real and pressing one and may well have been used to buttress the behaviour of these so-called ‘liaison personnel’.

But when all is said and done, this newspaper holds that this is a law and order matter which surely should have been addressed from the very inception by the police.

The majority of Jamaicans are sick and tired of our political leaders and others who should know better pandering to the whims and fancies of lawless elements who glorify themselves as dons and community leaders. That kind of slackness has to stop.

If there is anything to be learnt from last year’s tragedy in West Kingston, it has to be that the State must assert itself and take command in all of our communities.