In those days many were locked in their own quarters and deprived of the luxury and beauty of our beautiful, bountiful, fruitful and sunlit island.
Have we gone back to that era despite no longer being under the rule of brutal and greedy colonial masters?
I ask the question based on the fact that despite residents being forced to barricade themselves in their own quarters, the country continues to grapple with the grave issue of murder.
Only on September 9, Detective Sergeant Victor Francis of the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA) was reportedly stabbed
when he attempted to part a fight between relatives in Portmore, St Catherine. He succumbed to his injuries.
Murders in Jamaica have increased by 7.4 per cent so far this year, according to information from the latest Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) Periodic Crime Statistics Review, which covers the period January 1 to September 7.
It shows that there were 73 more murders for the period, with 1,055 recorded this year, compared to 982 for the same period in 2021.
Kingston has recorded 405 murders so far this year (2022), the same figure for the corresponding period last year. As of April 9, the island had recorded the same number of murders as had been registered in April 2021.
The JCF reported that the St Mary Police division recorded the largest increase in murders with 15, up from the solitary case last year.
Other divisions with an increase in murders include Trelawny with 13 killings compared to three in 2021, Westmoreland with 42 murders compared to 18 last year and Portland recording a 100 per cent increase with four murders this year.
The JCF recorded 1463 killings in 2021, giving the country a homicide rate that reached nearly 50 per 100,000 people.
The JCF also said that shootings across the 19 police divisions are down 13.3 per cent with 312 cases compared to 360 in 2021 for the period under review.
Is it that we have traded the tenets of our motto “Out of Many One People” for barbarism?
Where is the love? Where is one love, on heart one destiny? Where is the biblical ethos of being my brother’s keeper?
It's time for a drastic u-turn in family life and the days when children played together without fear of death and or criminals.
In this technology era where murders, bloodshed and all sort of criminal activities are the games for many children, we must remember that there is no reset button when these games are played out in real life.
I pray for the day when greed and corruption become of the past and Jamaica is once more that place where you can play dominoes outdoors without fear of a drive by shooting.
Yes, I am cognisant of the fact that there is crime everywhere including London but my concern is the preservation of my people and my country.
I am convinced that we can and will become more prosperous, economically stable when our gang culture is eliminated from our society.
When there are more viable avenues for honest earning and when our young people who are having advanced education opportunities have open fora, places of employment and or avenues for investment.
Additionally, our leaders and those wanting to assume leadership roles need to establish higher standards in integrity as such is rated as one of the most important character traits of a respected leader. I believe that when integrity is missing from our relationships, our leaders or ourselves, a break down in trust occurs, support disappears and as a result no one achieves their goals.
Things to think and discuss include, what are your morals and ethics and where do they
come from? Are you a role model of integrity for others? Are you consistent, open and clear with your morals and ethics? In your debates and discussions is the approach curious and collaborative rather than conflicting? It is essential to stand up for what you believe in a respectful and positive way.
Finally, choose your company carefully as the right company will make it easier to keep your integrity. Limit time spent with those who don’t hold your values and ethics.
Peace and love
