Well the Limited State of Emergency in Jamaica, has now become a political football.
The Opposition People's National Party (PNP) has been on a media blitz trying to justify their reasons for abstaining to vote for the retention of the Limited State of Emergency on July 22.
The ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has been chastising the PNP for using poor excuses to not allow the State of Emergency to continue.
However many members of the public believe that the real reason for the PNP's abstention was to try to put a spoke in Prime Minister Bruce Golding's wheel, as it is felt that the PNP fear his and the JLP's improved public ratings, as a result of the stemming of crime during the Limited State of Emergency.
Cabinet on Monday, held an emergency meeting to address the latest upsurge in crime. This is in light of the fact that since the Limited State of Emergency was rescinded on July 22, the murder rate has resumed its average of 5 per day, up from the average of 2 per day, under the Limited State of Emergency.
(The Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister and 13 other Ministers of Government. They set government policy on island).
It is being reported that should this increase continue, that the JLP will again go to Parliament to seek a new imposition of a Limited State of Emergency.
However, since then, a Television Jamaica/Radio Jamaica poll conducted by noted Jamaican pollster, Ian Boxill, has shown that a majority of Jamaicans (33%) were in favour of the retention of the Limited State of Emergency. 15% of persons polled, were against it. 63.7% were in favour of it being extended to other parishes.
The poll also gauged people's opinion of Bruce Golding's handling of the Mannatt, Phelps and Phillips affair and the extradition of Christopher "Dudus" Coke.
43% thought that Bruce Golding has lost moral authority to lead Jamaica, whilst 47% believed that he's the best person to lead country at this time.
The poll which was conducted between July 17 and 21, has a margin of error of +- 4% (meaning actual results may differ by +4% or -4%).
The JLP, embolden by the poll results, have taken to the airwaves to drum up support for the Prime Minister.
What I think that both parties aren't realizing is that most Jamaicans have woken up to the reality that most Jamaican politicians only act in their own and their parties' best interest and not in the interest of Jamaica and Jamaicans.
...That the public are watching the State of Emergency football game and have made up their minds whom they want governing them.
If both parties believe that it can be business as usual, where the governance of Jamaica is concerned, both will get a rude awakening even before the general elections, as most Jamaicans want leaders who are accountable and honest.
And that's why Dr. Peter Phillips' call for the passing of the Impeachment Act and the imposition of an ethical fitness test for politicians, at the local and national levels, is so important...
...It's time that Jamaica has a new governance ethic, where the people who offer themselves up for election at both the local and national levels are guided by moral principles and not just party dictates.
[Impeachment legislation would ensure that public officials who are charged with misconduct, are held to account (criminally, in a court of law) and would lose their positions if they lie and/or are convicted of said misconduct].
In the meantime, the security forces have not been waiting around for the possible resumption of a Limited State Emergency. They are acting on their promise to detain and arrest criminals:
1) The Manchester Assistant Commissioner of Police has said that he and his men will be setting up check points at the entrance to the parish of Manchester, to ensure that only citizens are allowed to enter parish.
This is in response to the upsurge of crime in the parish, as a result of the migration of criminals there from the parishes of Kingston, St. Andrew and St. Catherine.
2) The new Deputy Superintendent of Police assigned to St. Catherine North, Clive Blair, has also taken a no-nonsense approach to the upsurge of crime in his Division.
Yesterday, 100 persons were taken into custody in the town of Linstead, during a search and cordon operation there by the security forces. Most of the detainees have been released.
(Deputy Superintendent Blair was assigned to the Division this week, to arrest the crime situation there. He will be based at the Linstead Police Station).
The St. Catherine North Division covers Bog Walk, Ewarton and Linstead.
Over twenty (20) murders have occurred in the Division since start of the year. There was a severe increase in the number of murders in Linstead and Bog Walk over the past week, with nine (9) persons being killed.
Gillian
Sources Include
1) Television Jamaica's Prime Time News at 7:00 p.m., July 27,2010
2) Article, "Poll: Security forces abusive in emergency", JamiacaObserver.com, July 27,2010
3) Article, "Overwhelming public support for State of Emergency", JamaicaObserver.com, July 26, 2010
