Our local newspapers have headlined the recently delivered Tivoli Gardens Commission of Enquiry Report. They have highlighted two major recommendations:

1. An apology to be made to the Tivoli Gardens community; and

2. Special payments be made to members of the community.

It is quite obvious that the commission had a clear agenda with a blame game against the security forces. We need another view. It is well established that Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke — now in jail in the US for his deeds — was a super don who had established an all-island network based in a garrison community. What exactly developed with ‘the event’ that has been the subject of this high-profile enquiry?

1. Dudus declared ‘war’ against the Jamaican society and its law enforcement forces; part of which was the destruction of the Denham Town Police Station.

2. He assembled a well-armed criminal support group in Tivoli to defend the enclave.

3. The community was heavily barricaded against the intrusion of law enforcement forces.

4. Requests to remove the barricade were rejected by gunmen in the area.

5. When community members were asked in the commission as to how the barricades got in place, they were obviously lying when they replied that they were unaware as to how the barricades got there.

6. This spirit of the community in terms of its support for Dudus was clearly demonstrated in the parade of Tivoli Gardens ladies dressed in white who claimed they were “ready to die for Dudus”.

This declaration of war with all the trappings of community rebellion against the security forces is what the commission recommends should be apologised for and rewarded? No way! This endorses evil.

The event was a regrettable one and lives were lost. But this was war. Here are some different recommendations that need to be made.

1. Full details must be published of all the expenditure of the inquiry and to whom payments are to be paid. The commissioners and the flood of lawyers would obviously have profited well.

2. The Tivoli Gardens community needs to repent of its embracing evil and to express sorrow at the death of the soldier in his task of duty. The security forces have to express sorrow at what were some unnecessary deaths.

3. A community development initiative should be introduced with meetings between soldiers, police and people to restore relationships. In addition, a community development project such as has been clearly demonstrated in Trench Town by Dr Henley Morgan should be embraced. It is here that funds should be expended to demonstrate what is possible and restore some of the damage that was done on both sides.

4. A police post should be established in Tivoli Gardens and specific initiatives developed to enhance community relations.

5. The former commissioner of police and the chief of staff of the Jamaica Defence Force, far being held as irresponsible leaders, need to be commended for their strong action against what was an incipient rebellion. What if the security forces had done nothing in the war that Dudus declared? Two further postscripts are included.

6. Rev Al Miller must be commended for his ‘capture’ of Dudus and in bringing him into the open as he said to take him to the US Embassy. There can be no case against him. Shame on the attempts being made to prosecute him.

7. Since this commissioners’ report can be so readily available and published, why has the Finsac report completed a long time ago not been able to see the light of day? Clearly it was blocked by the previous Government. All Jamaica needs to see the Finsac report. There may well be some damage that might still be correctable.

Alfred Sangster is president emeritus of University of Technology, Jamaica. Send comments to the Observer or alfredwsangster@gmail.com.