Dear Minister Turnquest:
I wanted to write and thank you for calming my state of alarm on Friday past, when I heard of the brazen robbery against 18 of our valued tourist. I suppose I should not have been alarmed, as it was only a matter of time before such an event occurred with the way crime is spiraling out of control in this Country. It is almost as if we are in a toilet bowl and somebody has pulled the lever.
Despite this incident, I began to relax on Saturday after reading the paper and learning that you now have "grave concern" over the situation. I suppose the Cabinet had an emergency meeting over the weekend and we will hear from the Government this week on new efforts to address crime and perhaps another "Zero Tolerance" strategy. This will make us feel real jolly for Thanksgiving. God help us leading into Christmas. Business persons have had an uphill battle over the last 12 to 18 months in keeping the doors open. Now on top of this, they have to spend each day worrying over a gun being held to their head!
Dear Minister, I was also saddened to see in today's Tribune (Nov/23/2009) that the Chairman of the PLP was calling for your resignation. You are now gravely concerned, why should you resign now. The Country cannot afford to have a new Minister of National Security appointed and wait two more years for that individual to become concerned. It is better to stick with you now and allow your "Grave Concern" to be turned into action.
I must admit I was a little surprised when you said "The last thing that we want to happen is to have our tourist destination marred by these thugs." Myself and others have warned about this in letters to the press for months. And rest assured dear Sir, if critical action is not taken now it will only get worse.
Minister Turnquest, I do not expect you or your Government to prevent crime. The prevention of crime is our problem, it is a massive social problem. I agree that every effort must be made to keep young people in this Country from turning towards a life of crime and yes I agree, as you have said, "each of us ought to look into the mirror." However, your Government has the responsibility to ensure that effective, swift justice is carried out! Your Government is responsible for ensuring that the court system is improved! Your Government is responsible for amending the Bail Act as necessary and to ensure that Capital Punishment is carried out!
You do not deserve to be the scapegoat. But if your Government fails to deal with these thugs that are destroying our way of life and now our Tourism Industry, then you and your Cabinet Colleagues will all be the scapegoats. Quite frankly Mr. Minister, if people feel that you should resign, then the whole Cabinet should resign!
I also noted your comments that Government is working to fix the ailing legal system and upgrade the courts beyond the capacity of only two jury trials at a time. While it appears the Government is going to expand the capacity with the creation of new courts, isn't there property all over town that could have been rented to increase the capacity by now, in light of this grave situation? Couldn't the Government have amended the necessary legislation to prevent all these criminals from roaming the streets on bail? Do we need a referendum? As it stands now, your Government appears not to have the political will to take on this challenge. Stop crying that you cannot prevent crime and start ensuring that criminals are dealt with effectively and harshly. Remember Sir, "justice delayed is justice denied."
Again Dear Minister, thank you. As I sat at home on the weekend behind my bars in a neighborhood that has experienced the worst of crime, I felt better knowing that you are now gravely concerned. I await in anticipation, the imminent actions of Government to ensure that at the very minimum those that are and have destroyed our way of life, will be punished severely.
May God give you the strength and wisdom needed to carry out your duty as Minister. My prayers will remain with you.
Jerome R. Pinder
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