Finally, a decisive government

THE EDITOR, Madam: COVID-19 IS gaining momentum with unfortunate deaths, restricting movement and livelihoods, and having humanity face it head-on as the new norm.

However, the new (but soon to be short-lived) norm in Jamaica is an interesting one. I am sure many will agree that this is the first they’ve seen any proactivity from a Jamaican Government, much less this one led by Prime Minister Andrew Holness.

After years of calling on the Government to put its foot down on crime, it took a virus - albeit a relatively deadly and painful one - for them to ‘order’ citizens and enforce the law.

This ironic situation is more than hilarious, because it has almost achieved what numerous SOEs and ZOSOs couldn’t – public order and compliance. Something so simple but hard for the average Jamaican to grasp, and yet there are a few who would hype themselves, thinking they are bigger than the law, the Government and even the coronavirus itself.

It was a long time coming for Jamaica to understand that there are just some things that need stringent action and fair strong-arming of the populace. Enforcing the law doesn’t necessarily mean one has to be dictatorial or brutal but having a firm backbone, using the powers that are enshrined in law.

This Government has at least proved it has some backbone, but can it continue without breaking when it counts the most? I am not referring to conducting general elections but about running a country as efficiently as a business.

FAIR GAME

Slowly but surely, Jamaica is learning what it means to be ‘under mannas’. After all the years of political tribalism and divisiveness, crime and dons, and now circumventing the Constitution (how many Jamaicans know there’s one), laying down the law has become real.

Look how many people have been arrested for disobeying an order, due to COVID-19. This means that crime and the other ailments that afflict this country could have been reduced years ago.

It’s not that it could not have been done; it wasn’t done due to lack of political will, until it has reached the point where everyone and everything is fair game.

COLETTE CAMPBELL

if not mandatory. Hence, both negative and positive cases could fall within the national radar of the map, thus allowing for an actual grasp of the coverage, insuring far more tangible management and containment responses.

This could possibly reduce the needless air of stress, anxieties and growing distrust among persons until a cure is available, as the disease may not destroyed on its own within a specified time frame.

HOMER SYLVESTER