Dear Editor,

I wish to comment on the article, ‘Child undergoes 5-hour operation to save leg after accident,’ published on March 27, 2014. I sincerely believe that these reckless drivers should obtain the same conviction as murderers. Another child has become a victim to what is said to be “reckless and dangerous driving”. Nnekia’s may never walk again, plus one can only imagine the trauma she has gone through as a result of her predicament.

The article mentioned that: “The driver was mauled by an angry mob of residents from Tavares Gardens, popularly known as ‘Payne Land’, after he tried to escape the scene. He was rescued by an off-duty policeman who was alerted about the commotion and fired warning shots to ward off the angry mob.”

This is what we call “jungle justice”, and many people are of the opinion that jungle justice is not justified. But imagine the pain and agony of the parents. By putting oneself in their shoes, how would one cope with such circumstance?

I am not suggesting that I am in total agreement with the idea of jungle justice. However, my concern is that weighing the circumstances and scrutinising the situations, I am led to ask the question, are there any grounds for jungle justice to be justified? Or is it that we have total confidence in our justice system to give us the justice that we really deserve?

Children’s Advocate Diahann Gordon Harrison declared: “Absolutely no parent or guardian should have to endure the agonising pain of having to bury their child under…gruesome and heart-rending circumstances.”

The call to institute capital punishment in Jamaica is commonly shared among the populace. If it is that we are advocating and pushing for such to be instituted, how much different would that be then, if jungle justice is exercised?

Patrick Davis

Hyde District, Trelawny

mr_newland50@yahoo.com