Dear Editor,

The recent emotive presentation regarding the states of emergency (SOEs) by Prime Minister Andrew Holness to the Jamaican public is worthy of applause because those who have been paying keen attention to Holness’s utterances, and other coinciding happenings, would have seen it for what it truly was, a performance. Consider these three peculiarities and revelations coming out of the promotion of these latest SOEs.

During the last sitting of Parliament, Holness, in lauding the “success” of the recently implemented SOEs by suggesting that the weekly murder rate was slashed to that of nearly 30 per cent of the previous pre-SOE week, exclaimed, “I… we… the people of Jamaica have won!” For those who are versed in the science of data, a one-off, two, or even multiple occurrences does not mean it is a formula, a law, or even a trend. Holness’s exuberant assertions were actually reminiscent of someone who has just won big on one of those betting games.

It was a sociology lecturer at The University of the West Indies, who, in one of his presentations featuring Thomas Edison’s calculated persistence in inventing the light bulb and Alfred Einstein’s definition of insanity, scoffed at the diligent efforts (but futile in reality) of a betting man in such numbers games.

The SOEs are, however, not an exercise in futility, though, and must not be given the misnomer of a “Band-Aid”. SOEs are more like antibiotics, effective and powerful. And the discovery and use of antibiotics is ranked near, if not at, the top of all scientific breakthroughs. However, we were once again recently reminded, this time by the British Veterinary Association, of the existing and worsening threat of a surge in highly antibiotic-resistant bacteria, “super bugs”, from prescribers’ and livestock owners’ overindulgence in the use of antibiotics.

Howbeit, seasoned reggae Grammy Award-winning British pop star Sting in his track If I Ever Lose My Faith In You sings, “Never seen a miracle of science that didn’t go from a blessing to a curse; never seen a military solution that doesn’t always end up in something worse.” SOEs appear to be that military solution Sting refers to, at least partially.

If, however, SOEs were to be considered as Band-Aids, then they would be attractively translucent and green. Critics of the People’s National Party’s (PNP) stance against the extension of these SOEs accuse it of politicising and, thereby, holding the nation’s security hostage.

It is said, “Justice delayed is justice denied.” However, a murder opportunity delayed is just that, a murder delayed, and there is no true benefit of such, except to the present annual murder statistics, especially as we head into an impending local government election, with the general election in two years’ time.

With the dismantling of the Office of the Political Ombudsman we might be seeing more explicit green-coloured Band-Aids re-emerging for various projects, perhaps even with suggestive political emblems attached to security forces’ equipment and personnel as was seen with a US military vehicle in the Middle East with its Southern Confederacy flag flying during former President Donald Trump’s reign.

Andre O Sheppy

Norwood, St James

astrangely@outlook.com