Dear Editor,

The announced Tivoli inquiry appears to be already mired in controversy and has only served to deepen and aggravate the existing scepticism among Jamaicans regarding such inquiries.

I was beginning to yield to the advice given to me as a young man by my granny, that “wha gawn bad a maanin, cyan come gud a evelin,” but I am too much a believer in democracy and the future of Jamaica to give up on the usefulness of this inquiry.

I believe, however, that we should start over, both with the appointments and the terms of reference, the two obvious areas of contention. In the interest of Jamaica — not some idle political aims — the Government should set out in good faith to meet with the Opposition and come to an agreement as soon as possible regarding the terms of reference and composition of the inquiry.

Both sides should understand that what caused the public concern and the need for this inquiry is the fact that 76 Jamaicans were killed allegedly by the security forces in that operation in Tivoli Gardens. The purpose of the inquiry should be to get all the facts and learn lessons for the future — nothing more and nothing less. It is further suggested that the terms of reference ought to be to inquire into the events over that period in connection with security forces’ operation in Tivoli Gardens that led to the loss of life. The terms of reference need to be that precise.

Colonel Allan Douglas

Kingston 10

alldouglas@aol.com