Dear Editor,

Rev Al Miller’s article on law and order in The Agenda of the Sunday Observer is a timely reminder of the state of affairs in our country today.

The blatant disregard for any semblance of law and order that is practised by a large majority of Jamaicans is very troubling. Even more troubling, however, is the lack of political will by either of the two parties that have formed the government over several decades to seriously address the problem.

Rev Miller’s article is a well-written and cogent analysis as to the causes and effects of this nightmare we face on a daily basis, so I won’t attempt to add anything more to it. Instead, I will focus on two examples of the practice of lawlessness in the two communities I interact with on a daily basis.

I reside in the Manor Park area and my business is located in the Liguanea area — two areas that one might expect some semblance of order; after all, these are supposedly upper-income and choice areas to do business and raise families, as the saying goes.

Well, as anyone who travels the Manor Park to Constant Spring Road corridor will attest, this is where disorder reigns supreme. Minibuses and taxi operators overtake law-abiding drivers with impunity, oftentimes forcing us out of our lanes. Vendors have overtaken the bus shelters and the sidewalks and can show receipts that they have paid the parish council to operate — despite the anti-litter law that strictly prohibits street vending. This one is known as institutionalised disorder and lawlessness.

The Liguanea situation is no less palatable. I witness every day the planned chaos at the bus stop in front of the Post Office Mall next to the Matilda’s Corner Police Station. I might add taxi drivers scramble with maddening speed to overtake each other, with horns blaring to get to the bus stop ahead of Jamaica Urban Transit Company buses for passengers, oftentimes blocking the exit and entrance to the mall.

The police are aware of this crazy situation in Liguanea but do nothing about it and probably will do nothing until someone is run over by one these crazy drivers.

The above are but two examples of the kinds of breakdown in law and order that permeate all sections of our society.

The Government, which is the constituted authority, must act to restore order to the country. Recently we saw where the prime minister gave instructions for dark tints to be removed from public passenger vehicles. This I had hoped would be the beginning of a sustained assault on similar breaches in public order and behaviour, but alas nothing more has happened.

We have talked about the Singapore model of development, which is often referred to as a miracle. Well, it’s not a miracle; it is rather a very carefully crafted and structured approach to maintaining law and order with the recognition that without it the country would be just another Third-World State — a designation that Lee Kwan Yew abhorred. All our political leaders should read his book From Third World to First to understand how order and discipline can unlock the doors to wealth and prosperity.

Winston D Barrett

winstonbarrett1654@gmail.com