The Editor, Sir:

In his initial comments on the crime-rate statistics (2009) for Jamaica, the investment banker of the Opposition People's National Party (PNP), Dr Peter Bunting has issued a statement suggesting that National Security Minister Dwight Nelson and by extension, the present Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration, has no clue to solving crime in Jamaica. That's one interpretation.

He should be reminded that the then national security minister, Dr Peter Phillips, on September 7, 2005, launched the Community Security Initiative (CSI), a multi-stakeholder programme, which the then minister said would seek to stem the scourge of criminality by improving social services in a number of the island's poorer communities, that were breeding grounds for criminals.

CSI role

At the launching ceremony held at the Hilton Kingston hotel, Phillips explained that the CSI would "aid the social transformation of crime and violence-prone, gang-dominated communities into safe zones with legitimate social and economic processes; and also enhance the reach of public, social and economic services to poor, socially excluded communities, to strengthen their capacity to resist penetration and domination by criminals". (Source JIS, www.jis.gov.jm.)

What should have been launched is a Community Defence Initiative (CDI) and not a Community Security Initiative (CSI). Phillips and his security advisers (including the British imports) were flawed in their policy judgment.

Inherited legacy

As such, Dwight Nelson has inherited a legacy of bullets, guns and destruction which is not in line with the Jamaican Vision 2030 document which, I assume the investment banker of the PNP has read.

Finally, had the Community Defence Initiative been implemented, it would have assisted the local communities to provide their own security with defensive neighbourhood watch-type programmes. What this means is that not only the Kingston Western Police Division would have the lowest crime levels/murder, etc, but the entire Jamaica.

I am, etc.,

Dr CHARLES DEMONTAQUE

charlesdemontaque@yahoo.co.uk

Stafford University

Addlestone Road, Surrey

United Kingdom