Today , National Security Minister Dr Horace Chang has a critical speech to make to Jamaicans in the Diaspora as part of our Washington envoy’s nascent series of dialogue titled ‘Let’s connect with Ambassador Marks’.

We are told that Dr Chang is expected to outline the measures that have been put in place to manage crime in Jamaica and give a broad outline of the Government’s policy on national security.

We can’t wait to hear it ourselves.

In recent weeks we have heard different excuses for the level of crime in Jamaica, as spokesmen for the Government do everything to deflect blame from the Administration as the heat of public opinion turned up about the wanton killing of women.

It is to be hoped that Dr Chang won’t be planning to regurgitate his attempt at public relations with the Rastafarian community, with his specious argument that if more Jamaican families emulated the values of the Rastafarian community then there would be less murders.

“If you respect your women, if you see her as an empress, as a queen, you can’t destroy her, you can’t beat her, and murder her, and cut her, and things like that. We have to consider these things,” Dr Chang said Holy Thursday during the official opening of the Rastafari Elders’ Care Home, hosted by the Rastafari Coral Gardens Benevolent Society (RCGBS).

“In the Rastafarian community you speak of your sisters, queens and empress for women. These are languages that reaffirm respect for women. And if we can replicate this to the broader community we would get rid of [this] kind of negativitism and the violence that is destroying our society,” the security minister said.

If Dr Chang wants to ingratiate himself with any sector of the Jamaican nation it’s his choice, but don’t tell us that we all have to become Rastafarians to reduce crime.

Hopefully, the minister will not repeat the prime minister’s recent utterance when he said violent music played a role in influencing the behaviour of some people who carry out vicious acts on their countrymen and women.

While this is the prime minister’s opinion, he must not forget that the moniker Brogad, which he has not repudiated, was reportedly made by 6ix deejay Daddy1 in his song Brogad. He must also recall the use by his political party of some dubplates voiced by artistes known for their violent lyrics during last year’s general election.

We hope that Dr Chang will address the complaints by members of the Diaspora that their offer to assist the Government with crime fighting in Jamaica has largely been ignored, and that he will encourage the latest idea of a US$10-million Diaspora crime fund.

He should also report on the outcome of the National Consensus on Crime stakeholder meetings which were supposed to unite the country around crime-fighting initiatives, but now seem to be adrift, if not dead in the water.

We in this space have maintained that no Government by itself can get control of crime. Only a massive campaign headed by the stakeholders groups, fully backed by the politicians, and aimed at getting the people to support the security forces to take the fight to criminals will make a difference.