Dear Editor,

I refer to the article headlined ‘Montague believes JCF, INDECOM are best friends’ published in the online edition of the

Jamaica Observer on Monday, June 5, 2017.INDECOM was never intended to be best friends with the JCF. A marriage implies a level of allegiance by the parties which has legal protection. To solemnise this, for convenience, is a retrograde step towards what existed before and amounts to the erosion of independence of INDECOM to do its job. Why even the need for the Memorandun of Understanding (MOU)? The law is clear on INDECOM’s role.All that is required is for the police to operate within the law. Perhaps there needs to be more training regarding the legal boundaries of carrying out their duties. Is the MOU a substitute for this insufficiency of training?There will be a public perception, just as in an ordinary marriage, that each is protecting the other.No other country has this arranged marriage between its civilian oversight body and its police force. Arranged marriages are on the rapid decline. This one that Minister Montague is pushing will not serve the public interest.Indeed, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. 

Norman Lee

Brampton, ON

namronlee@rogers.com