Dear Editor,

One of my best and forever-loved reggae songs is one by the late reggae icon Prince Buster, Judge Dread. I love it to my heart from school days until now.

With these monsters of crime so deadly, so fearless and dangerous, a Judge Dread like Prince Buster would be the right man to deal with these wicked buggers and give them a sentence of 400 years in prison.

Our judges should be fair and square in their judgements and also in their sentencing of wrongdoers and should make the punishment fit the crime like a key fits its own lock. In other words, it should be always fair dealings.

For example, if a bully kills his wife brutally with a knife or with a machete, because she decides to end the relationship, he should be given the death penalty.

If a man rapes and murders a woman he should be given the death penalty.

If a man slaughters his spouse with a knife or with a machete because she cheats on him, he should be given 60 years in prison, at hard labour.

If a criminal abducts a woman and brutally murders her, he too should be given the death penalty.

And if a woman leaves her spouse for a better man because of finances or incompatibility, or for whatever reason, and he murders her like an animal, he should be given 60 years in prison, at hard labour.

No matter the cause or the reason, no matter how hurtful the situation may be, you must not kill — unless it’s in self defence. Practice self-control.

The bigger problem, however, is that we are not catching the murderers — or we very seldom catch a few.

The threat of real punishment must be a deterrent.

Donald J McKoy

donaldmckoy876@gmail.com