We are in grief and shock over the execution-style murder of three schoolchildren in Clarendon last Wednesday night along with 35-year-old Marquis Hamilton in the Monymusk neighbourhood. The three promising students, 14-year-old Ricardo Briscoe, 14-year-old Raymond Givans, and 16-year-old Alex Turner were made to lie face down and shot in the back of their heads by two gunmen.

But, as we mourn, we should be asking ourselves, are we members of a nation of hypocrites or did we force ourselves to grow a rhino skin of denial? Surely we have heard enough of the brutality nurtured in the garrisons to know the cold hearts stalking this land. Even as politicians enjoy cordial relations along party lines, some have schooled their goons to have no such tolerance.

What happens to individuals who are so fanaticised, so tribalised? They are not allowed to think for themselves, to choose for themselves, to even dress as they please. They have been denuded of every shred of self-esteem, have been brutalised, then let loose on the children of decent Jamaicans.

The editorial in last Friday’s Jamaica Observer was telling, as we learned of happenings leading up to the May 2010 security forces operation in the Tivoli Gardens community and the artillery that had been stockpiled: “According to the former police commissioner, Mr Blair said he has had dealings with the military but had never seen so many rifles in his life as he saw in Tivoli Gardens,” stated the editorial. “He then told Mr Ellington that he would be praying for him and the other members of the police force as it was apparently obvious to the clergyman that the security forces would be left no choice but to enter Tivoli Gardens — which was heavily barricaded — to arrest Coke.”

When Rev Al Miller delivered a message from then Prime Minister Bruce Golding to Christopher “Dudus” Coke, asking him to surrender peacefully, the Observer editorial quoted the pastor as saying, “I saw the man and the man say to me that if it was the PNP in power they would know how to deal with it. Tell Bruce Golding to find a way to deal with it. I’m not going anywhere, and if him a come fi mi, him haffi come good”.

The barricaded entrances to the community featured LPG cylinders and, a few days before the operation, scores of women marched in white with signs declaring that they would die for their ‘don’. I was in Florida the weekend when the situation became dangerous. I clicked on the websites of our local press only to see two police stations in flames. This was an assault on the State. Clearly the security forces had to act to protect the country.

As we listened to the testimony of the traumatised women of Tivoli in the earlier weeks of the enquiry, we ask — as this column had asked years before 2010 — where were all the rights groups when our people in the garrisons were being so cowed and oppressed? Where was the outcry when dons were sending for young girls to be their sex slaves?

And, today we ask, why is it that up to Friday there was no outcry from the civic groups and our churches over the murder of these three innocent schoolchildren? Where is the national outrage? Management experts like to speak about the “boiled frog” phenomenon preceding the collapse of an organisation. They explain that if a frog is placed in a pot of cold water which is then brought to a boil, the frog will not sense the change of temperature and will remain in the water until it perishes. Let us not become boiled frogs! Let us demand integrity from our leaders, so we can save the precious lives of our Jamaican children.

A more efficient ‘GovNet’

An encouraging development last week, announced by state minister for Science, Technology, Energy, and Mining Julian Robinson, is the appointment of a Canadian expert to assist with IT efficiency in government. Such an individual may finally bring to reality the dream of the system dubbed ‘GovNet’, so government ministries and agencies can break out of their silos and achieve the connectivity that will promote productivity.

This was strong on the Internet on Thursday, but on Friday I could find no link to the story. Hopefully I was looking in the wrong places. I trust that this project has not been stopped before it has even started. Members (myself included) of the hard-working Peter Moses-led Consultative Monitoring Group for Jamaica’s public sector transformation identified a streamlined IT system as one of the ways that would promote “joined-up Government”, synergising the efforts of government bodies. What a boost this would be. Best wishes to Minister Robinson on this important initiative.

Congrats, Msgr Gregory and Richard Byles!

The philanthropic organisation American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) last Friday honoured Monsignor Gregory Ramkissoon and Richard Byles for their exemplary contribution. Monsignor Greg is founder of Mustard Seed Communities, which serves the most challenged physically and mentally in four countries: Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and, yes, Zimbabwe. Only last month, his project, Jacob’s Ladder in Moneague, which is supported by the Digicel Foundation received the Zero Project Award for sustainability. Monsignor Ramkissoon, realising that the rule of releasing 18-year-olds from children’s homes would leave his special-needs residents homeless, has developed a community where they farm and supply food for the multiple homes in Mustard Seed Communities.

The exemplary Richard Byles has led Sagicor Jamaica to new heights with their substantial investment in Jamaica’s tourism industry and has been the insightful chairman of Jamaica’s Economic Programme Oversight Committee. He and his wife, Jacinth, have been model Jamaicans.

The AFJ comprises past and present US ambassadors to Jamaica and distinguished Americans and Jamaicans who all volunteer their time, talent and treasure to the upliftment of the Jamaica people. Thank you!

Honouring living legends

On Thursday the Caribbean Community of Retired Persons will be celebrating our fifth anniversary and presenting annual Living Legacy Awards to Merel Hanson, retired matron and lecturer in nursing; Beverley Hall-Taylor, retired executive director of the National Council for Senior Citizens; Ambassador K G Anthony Hill, retired diplomat and climate change activist; Ken Jones, retired public servant and distinguished author; and Dr Badia Shoucair, beloved family doctor.

lowriechin@aim.com

www.lowrie-chin.blogspot.com