We must end the ‘see and blind’ culture
Dear Editor,
Tragic, gruesome and senseless are some mild ways of describing the killing of 14-year-old Jamaica College student Nicholas Francis on Wednesday, October 26, a short distance from his school. The incident has evoked outrage from a wide cross section of people, from students to government ministers, and has led to the call for cameras to be installed in buses.
The allegations of how the incident happened is very troubling for a nation that wants to see a reduction in crime and violence. It is alleged that one man with one knife on a bus with a driver, conductor and passengers held up young Francis, demanded his US$10 watch and ‘banger’ cellphone. He refused and was cut on his hand, stabbed in his side and chest and thrown from the bus.
The circumstances bring into focus not only the issue of the death of young Nicholas, but a ‘see no evil, not my business, not an informa’ culture. This is why a gang of nine men can hold a community of 90,000 people hostage.
Jamaica will not see a crime-free society unless, as citizens, we change the mindset that crime is “police business”. Crime is everybody’s business and it is fairy tale to think that there will be a police officer in every bus, taxi, or on every corner. The police do not operate in a vacuum and rely on information from witnesses to be effective. It, however, becomes increasingly difficult when no one sees or hears, or is willing to testify. Turning a blind eye and employing a ‘stand-off’ approach to crime and criminal activities only serve to give power to criminals.
Nicholas and so many other people could still be alive if they had just a little help; somebody to stand up with them in their time of need. What ever happened to the principle united we stand? How can we be so callous toward our own, even to an innocent child? Nicholas could have been your brother, cousin or friend. We all have a part to play in being our brother’s keeper.
The things we turn a blind eye to today will cause us to cry tomorrow.
Condolence to Nicholas’s and the Jamaica College family.
Hezekan Bolton
h_e_z_e@hot mail.com
