Something about our crime fighting seems off

Dear Editor,

At the heart of Jamaica’s crime problem is the gun — and we know it like a poem used for recitation in primary school. It has been the dominating plague for decades.

No matter what we do, no matter what measures we put in place, unless we decide to take the bull directly by the horns, with a deadly aim, or with a killer instinct, to uncover the secret behind this gun trade and the gunrunners there will never be a significant breakthrough in getting a foothold on crime. We must mash down the powers of criminals to remove the stranglehold on the society.

If I am not mistaken, I have never heard the powers that be, in all their many addresses or public speeches to the nation, mention these words:

“We are going to target those who are behind this gun trade. We will have to find out who is giving out so many illegal guns to these criminals, or where they are getting them from. If anyone can give us some information as to who is running this gun trade in our country, please don’t hesitate to let us know.” I have never heard them say it!

We have heard about the “Get the Guns Campaign”, but are we getting illegal guns off the streets in any impactful way? Are we truly trying to find the guns at the right places and from the main culprits? I am having some doubt about this crime fighting.

How can a country, being plagued with so many illegal weapons, and with such a high death rate for so many years in the presence of such an advanced national security, not be reaping some success?

Something doesn’t seem right to me at all!