I have long advanced the view in this space that I do not believe that social powder puffs, or forms of emotional embrace, will soothe or silence the ravenous monsters among us whose vocation is rape, robbery, murder, and other heinous acts. And I continue to strongly maintain that those who are wedded to criminal mayhem must be hunted, captured, and put before the courts. As well, those who attack State personnel, so as to endanger their lives and/or the lives of other law-abiding citizens, must not be treated with kid gloves, since it is a matter of us or the criminals. I stand by these views.

I firmly believe that especially hardened criminals should serve time in prison proportional to their crime. Those who unceasingly campaign to make Jamaica safe for criminals must not be allowed to derail the most critical function of the State — the promotion of happiness and the preservation of life by vigorously guarding against attacks by internal and external predators.

For donkey’s years vicious criminals had us on the run. We have them on the run, today. I like it that way. Let us keep it that way for a better Jamaica.

Earlier this month members of the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (C-TOC) intercepted a black Honda Fit travelling in the direction of Spanish Town shortly before midday. The police say the occupants opened fire, triggering a shoot-out. Men in the mentioned car were injured. They were taken to the Spanish Town Hospital where they were pronounced dead.

A former local commissioner of police said in a contest between the police and gunmen the lawmen must win. I agree. Police work anywhere is difficult and dangerous, but particularly in Jamaica. I am very happy no police was injured or killed.

In the mentioned incident the police say they seized one Taurus pistol affixed with a magazine containing nine rounds and a Beretta pistol affixed with a magazine containing nine rounds.

The police say one of the men killed was wanted in connection with the shooting death of Corporal Christopher Smith on December 6, 2024 at a Texaco gas station in St Andrew. At his funeral in February this year, Corporal Smith was lauded as a lawman who often went beyond the call of duty to serve and protect. Doubtless his immediate family are still emotionally and relatedly heartbroken by his untimely death.

Criminals are not friends of Jamaica.

Earlier this month two policemen — 30-year-old Constable Charles Stewart attached to the Spanish Town police and 32-year-old Constable Jemarey Gordon from C-TOC — were shot and killed on Waltham Park Road in St Andrew. A report in this newspaper said: “It is understood the cops were off-duty at a business establishment on Waltham Park Road about 7:30 pm when there was a confrontation.

“The confrontation reportedly led to two men opening fire on the cops, hitting the lawmen, before making their escape.

“The policemen were rushed to hospital, where they were pronounced dead.” (Jamaica Observer, November 14, 2025)

At the time of writing I did not see where any civil society advocate/group had expressed condolence to the families and/or devastated communities of the policemen killed. It is not difficult to figure why. The raison d’etre of these groups, I maintain, is the defence of criminals. Do they possess any genuine “milk of human kindness” (Shakespeare in Macbeth 1:5) for victims? I think not!

I continue to maintain that the hundreds of Jamaicans who have lost fathers, mothers, breadwinners, etc, often in the midst of their most productive years, deserve swift justice.

The majority of the 604 Jamaicans murdered so far this year were gainfully employed. They were contributors to family and community. Hundreds of Jamaicans, especially children, are suffering emotionally and financially today because some brute snuffed out the life of their loved one. Hundreds of families will be in pain for many years to come. This trauma has been a national and long-standing affliction. I continue to believe that law-abiding citizens should have easier access to the proportional wherewithal to defend ourselves against the fiends who prey upon us and agents of the State, every day.

UNMOVED BY PLATITUDES

“More guns will mean a more violent Jamaica.”

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” (Gandhi)

“Jamaicans are too violent to be given the right to bear arms.”

“Violence begets violence.”

I anticipate the above platitudes. I maintain that the most important human right is the right to life and citizens must have the means to preserve life, especially in instances where the State has proven that it does not and or cannot adequately do so.

Long ago I said here that: “Criminals have been killing law-abiding Jamaicans with near impunity because they know that most of us do not have the means to defend ourselves. Houses in places like Cherry Garden and Jack’s Hill are seldom broken into. A major reason is that criminals know that many residents in these upscale communities have the means to effectively repel them.” This is a fact.

Some who scream, “Give us Barabbas!” Or shout, “Bad actors are many in the security forces.”

Bad actors are everywhere. Lucifer, later Satan, was cast out of Heaven by God. I stand with the security forces.

‘VIRTUOUS MURDERERS?’ REALLY!

Following the killing of the mentioned three criminals on Mandela Highway I saw where some, near and far, took to social media to condemn the police. I was not surprised.

Some corrupted with unearned fame, the “famous for nothing” crowd, which Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States of America, turned the sanitising heat of public scrutiny on some years ago, went further. They mounted a campaign to sanitise the criminals. Putrid nonsense was spewed about how virtuous the dead men were. Criminality is never etiquette.

The confederates of these criminals would want especially the unsuspecting to believe that the three men were pious choir boys who were on their way to rehearsal with their hymnals and Bibles. Some among us have been unfortunately caught up in this snare.

Those who support the actions of criminals are not friends of Jamaica. They are active sponsors of those who rape, rob, kill, and create mayhem in this country.

“You cannot ride with the police and root for the criminals,” said former Chicago Mayor Richard Daley. I completely agree!

In reality, virtuous murderers and drug dealers, etc do not exist. Those who murder, rob, and rape are not good people. Those who eulogise criminals are, in my view, their accomplices. Law-abiding Jamaicans must repel those who sing the praises of criminals whether they are alive or dead. Rural folks,, in their philosophical genius, say: “Show me your company and I tell yuh who yuh are.” I agree.

When this banner headline — ‘Cabinet to sign off on harsher penalties for murder on Monday’ ( The Gleaner, January 15, 2023) — came out, I made no secret that I was one of the biggest supporters of this measure. The news item said, among other things: “Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the Cabinet is expected on Monday to finalise proposals to make the death penalty the automatic punishment for capital murder and 45 years’ imprisonment the minimum sentence for other homicides.”

At a presser last August, Prime Minister Holness said, among other things: “Operationally, they [security forces] must go after every single gang… Today every gang leader should ‘tek weh dem self’. The security forces have now been given a directive after our National Security Council meeting: ‘Go after every single gang — and erode them.’ ” (Jamaica Observer, August 13, 2024). I support this.

I am no Bible scholar, but in so far as I understand it, the Good Book does not advocate that we should behave like sheep in the midst of attack by ravenous wolves. For example, Nehemiah 4:9 says: “Nevertheless we made our prayer unto God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.”

In Luke 22:37-39, Jesus explains it is good to be appropriately armed.

In Genesis 14:13-16, when Lot and his people were captured, Abram had no problem rescuing them with force, and I could go on.

Last month Jamaica had the lowest number of murders for 25 years. On the present trajectory, we should have less than 650 murders this year. It was 33 years ago that Jamaica had less than 650 murders in a calendar year. This is a big deal!

At the time of writing 604 Jamaicans have been murdered this year, that is 437 fewer than the comparable period last year. I am very unhappy that any citizen has been murdered, but I am also happy that 42 per cent fewer Jamaicans have been murdered this year.

Dr Horace Chang, the minister of national security and peace,, and indeed the entire Andrew Holness-led Administration deserve plaudits for the conscientious leadership on the matter of crime control and reduction.

Over the last 9 years especially, the Administration has poured massive and increased investments in the social and physical infrastructures which support the security forces. These are paying dividends. I maintain that Dr Chang is the best minister of national security we have had since political independence in 1962.

The lion’s share of commendation for the massive reduction in all major crime belongs to the hard-working men and women of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF). These very brave men and women put their lives on the line for us daily.

Supremely mean-spirited persons will doubtless say, “But, Higgins, you seem to forget that the members of security forces are paid.” Or, “They are simply doing their jobs.”

All I can say to such persons is, God bless you richly.

MALE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION NEEDED

There is no grey area. Those among us who rob rape, murder, and create mayhem must get swift comeuppance. I stand by that.

Simultaneously, I also recognise that we have a societal assembly line which is producing miscreants several times faster than the ability of the State to tame them. We have a huge problem here. It is a long-standing one.

Males need far more opportunities to meaningfully advance in this country. Why? It is fact that far more males than females have been dropping out of school, from as early as grade nine, for years in this country. It is a fact that most of the crimes, especially murders, in this country are committed by males. It is a fact that the vast majority of graduates at the tertiary level have been females for the past 40 years. The vast majority of suicide remain among males.

It is splendid that women are breaking the proverbial glass ceiling. It is great that numerous incentives and initiatives have been and are being set in place to help women rise. But, “one hand cyaan clap”, as we say in local parlance.

Doubtless some are going to retort, “Higgins the man dem just wutliss.” Or, “Higgins, males have relegated themselves.” And I know some will accuse me of envying female progression.

Try and delegitimise what I have said all you want, but one thing is crystal clear to me: The chickens are no longer coming home to roost. They already are on the roost. I believe some kind of affirmative action for males in this country is urgently needed to save the chickens and the roost.

However much we slice it and dice it, men from an evolutionary perspective are providers and protectors. It is in our DNA. Women are natural nurturers. It is in their DNA. When the natural roles of males are thwarted because of societal deficiencies and/or related factors, the results are catastrophic for everyone.

A similar tragedy happens when the natural roles of females are stymied. A lot scholarship supports this perspective. Let us stop being sheep in sheep’s clothing. A word to the wise should be sufficient.

Garfield Higgins is an educator and journalist. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or higgins160@yahoo.com.

National Security and Peace Minister Dr Horace Chang (left) is presented with the instrument of office by Governor General Sir Patrick Allen at King’s House. (Photo: Joseph Wellington)

Constables Charles Stewart (left) and Jemarey Gordon, who were shot dead while they were off-duty on Waltham Park Road on Thursday, November 14, 2025.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness speaking in the House of Representatives with Minister of National Security and Peace Horace Chang looks on. (Photo: Karl Mclarty)