BACK in the seventies when the security industry began, there were few practitioners. I recall my father, Ronald McKay, Exoll Mignott and a few other faces that I cannot put names to. They mainly rented dogs and eventually watchmen.

As the years went by I saw the watchmen become security guards and the dogs replaced by guns. Well, to a large degree. They worked on construction sites, or factories in very volatile or isolated communities. They eventually showed their presence in larger, private sector enterprises.

I made inquiries one day as to why the services were not offered to banks or even the Government. My father told me that only the police force can secure the banks and the Government does not hire contracted security services. Even as an adolescent this seemed odd to me as the Government seemed to be the biggest business in town.

Eventually, the police force gave up the banks and security companies started to secure them. Government ministries and other statutory entities followed. And guess what, the world did not stop spinning – the security industry did and continues to do a great job.

It took a while for the police to accept that they were not the only persons who could provide armed services. It also took some convincing of civil society that they could not expect every service they required to be provided by the police. But it worked out pretty good. Can you imagine if the police force were still burdened with tax offices, banks and statutory offices?

I would have hoped that this lesson would have led the way to the end of Government attempting to specialise in every area of services to the public. But this is not so. The police force still provides bodyguards to ministries and ministers to include the homes of Government officials.

This service is being provided at a time when the police force is 7,000 short of members. I can understand that it is necessary to have police and even military attached to the prime minister and the minister of national security, but I fail to see why the very industry that secures all money in Jamaica is unable to secure the ministers of Government.

This is the culture of Government in Jamaica, which is currently operating out of sync with the other developing countries.

In other countries, prisons have been directed to private enterprise mini data, and intel services and a list of other defence-related activities are handled by private enterprise. This is not limited to security-related activities. Let us look at health.

If you feel chest pains and go to the public hospital you may need an ECG (note correct term). This may lead to a stress echo test. If you fail that then an angiogram may be required where a blocked cardiac artery is suspected. This could require a further procedure to clear the blockage and put in a stent. If this is not done you are possibly dead in as little as a few hours or less.

In our free public health system you would likely be sent to a private entity to do the tests at your cost. Then go on a list at the public hospital that could take you six months to clear the blockage. So basically if you are depending on this process to work without your own money you would end up dead.

Truth is, we have many government-run hospitals and the ability to capitalise them to have all the equipment for what is required – from an ECG machine to open heart surgery – is astronomical.

The Heart Institute of the Caribbean can perform all the above, yet they are not contracted by the Government. They are privately capitalised in Kingston and Jamaica. Why not just send them the persons who need blocks cleared or open-heart surgery rather than trying to recreate and recapitalise the facility in a half-dozen hospitals?

The money you save from capitalisation expenses could pay the private fees, which would be subject to economies of scale and thus cheaper than the private guy would pay.

You could use this model and encourage another entity to set up a neurological facility at their cost with a similar understanding. This could be done for kidneys or liver complaints or, in fact, any area that requires massive equipment and other capital-related costs.

The point is that this need to be ‘provider and controller’ of all things important leads to these important things not being done efficiently, or truth be told, at all.

In emergency health, particularly heart health, you cannot play around with people dying because of money and lack of free health. In fact, it is not civilised.

Now look at national security. Again.

The time has come for all persons on bail to wear ankle bracelets. Why? Because the sentencing fiasco is going to be changed. Trust me, it’s just a matter of time. This will end the guilty plea glut and thus long dates for trial. The criminals will get bail and they will be out there killing whilst on bail.

So we are going to open a department at the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to monitor that. Hmmm … and staff it with cops. That would be a really bad idea. Instead, invite tenders and ‘out-market’ the service.

That way, someone else funds the set-up cost. I know we can beg it, but I do not know about anyone else. I’m tired of seeing my Government with its cap in its hands. Don’t you get it that once you outsource the business the capitalisation becomes the private vendor’s expense? And that is big.

Police are needed for police work. Anyone can be taught to direct traffic. Bailiffs with big feet and fists can run courts. Warders can run police lock-ups and security guards can guard ministers and their homes.

Too many are dying because of a shortage that some drastic changes could easily reduce. We need dramatic change for dramatic times!

Feedback: drjasonamckay@gmail.com