Dear Editor,

I have been following, quite keenly, the story surrounding the plane which seemed to land — not crash — in the shallow waters ‎off Rocky Point.

Among the things that concern me most are reports that the police were “having difficulty” securing the crash site over 12 hours after they had first arrived on-site, with added reporting saying that locals had been removing items from the place the day after.

How in heaven’s name could this be so?

Do we have that many crashed jets on our shoreline to not send adequate resources to properly preserve the site in the event that it became a crime scene of sorts?

No amount of money spent by the Ministry of National Security, and no amount of training, will replace common sense and the will to actually fight crime — both of which seem to be sadly lacking in our crime-fighting arsenal.

On another, but related, note, I see that Member of Parliament Mike Henry said he is again calling for the Vernamfield airstrip to be secured. (One wonders if there is an assumption that there is where the plane intended to land.)

Based on anecdotal evidence, if even half of what is said about that location and illegal aircraft is true, it would be an absolute disgrace that the runway remains operational and unsecured while we beat up our gums about fighting the illegal guns and illicit drug trades.

Has no one really thought of even having the runways in the area protected by ‎closed-circuit television technology to at least know what is taking place? Thereafter, adequate resources can be deployed to mitigate the risks. Or is it that it has been thought of but shut down by those we are expecting to be protecting us from the very threats that they themselves represent?

The latter point begs the question as to whose interest is really served by keeping that landing strip maintained and accessible, and why the powers that be have continually turned a blind eye to it?

Regardless of the answer, it is quite simply pathetic.

Leroy Dixon

leroy.dixon651@gmail.com