JAMBAR and Mr Vegas off-key
THE JAMAICA Bar Association (JAMBAR) supported a call by entertainer – Mr Vegas – for a ‘crime plan’ banning pillion riders from motorcycles. They referenced ‘successes’ in Colombia as part of their justification. Attorney Bert Samuels and many others have agreed. However, there are missing perspectives.
Historically, the strategy where ‘sicarios’use motorcycles for contract killings was invented or‘popularised’ by Colombian Drug Lord Griselda Blanco in the late 1970s to 1980s. How did she die? This is important.
In Jamaica, the recent killing of a paralegal – Sandra Risden – incensed the public. For me, the nation’s crime problem was already close to home. Architect Euhon Darling and I attended the Caribbean School of Architecture. My god-daughter Abigail’s father – Marvin – was murdered in 2022. Men rode up and shot him in Westmoreland. My neighbour of eight years was shot and killed by people who fled on foot. My god-son’s mother was tragically taken from us in 2017, under very different circumstances. That same year, my friend Andre was shot and killed. In December 2022, my longtime employee and good friend, Dianne, saw her motorcyclist son - Rojae - kidnapped and killed. One medical doctor and friend often reminds me of the tragedy of being robbed of her phone by a lone biker in Barbican. Simple robbery instances may seem petty in comparison to murders and contract killings, but the pain many victims of crime feel is still traumatic.
Jamaica has a crime problem. Closest to home, while riding, I have personally had an incident where bikers rode up on me in what appeared to be a robbery attempt. This is a scary scenario to be in. I get it. And understand public concerns. Nevertheless, even in a season of fear, should I rush to become patently unfair?
The real danger is in the details. Years ago, while I was overseas, I met a pilot who worked as a contractor for the US DEA in Colombia during the implementation years of “motorcycle restrictions”. His thoughts? Colombian security forces often used ‘no pillion’ and ‘mandatory vest’ rules as a covert filter, resulting in extrajudicial killings of motorcyclists. Like Colombia, the Philippines also considered motorcyclist restrictions. However, ‘anti-motorcycle’ shenanigans peaked there when “rogues” were caught using motorcycles in extrajudicial killings of criminals and political opponents. Meaning, in the Philippines, when one set of ‘sicarios’ on bikes was caught, they turned out to be active-duty police specialist marksmen. Allegedly loyal to President Duterte. Such‘false flag’ operations could never happen in Jamaica, though. Right?
JAMBAR should consider the ant’s nest that they are courting. Dangerously off-key.
Many countries have motorcycle crime, yet few have resorted to ‘motorcycle restrictions’ tactics that disregard legitimate motorcycling communities. How on Earth could JAMBAR – of all organisations – support a suggestion like this? How can JAMBAR ask for Jamaica to be modelled after a societal measure where extrajudicial killings were suspected to be an ulterior motive? Why thought-lead from the bottom of the barrel? Why not emulate solutions in more successful jurisdictions with healthier riding cultures?
Where does this pillion-banning narrative lead? Is JAMBAR okay with the practical implications for families heading to school and work? How could road safety, anticrime, or any other public official expect cooperation from decent motorcyclists? Is this how you really feel about us? In Jamaica’s political narrative, it feels like motorcyclists are subhuman. Menaces. Disposable. Just creatures to be used for photo ops when they conform to a convenient narrative. Dear “well-thinking” Jamaica, how do you expect organised motorcycle groups to prosper and assist with the nation’s motorcycle issues if this is how you’re dealing with us? How are we supposed to do that? What’s your execution plan?
UNCREATIVE
The idea of banning pillions on motorcycles needs to be labelled as uncreative, lazy, and tyrannical. In real life, dead motorcyclists may never have a day in court for JAMBAR to defend them.
My nephew rides. My godson rode with me as a pillion as a young child. Despite his being deathly scared of bicycles and everything on two wheels. My goddaughter Abigail hates motorcycles. She’s never been on one … even for a photo. Her dad, Marvin (murdered 2022), was a veteran biker. God willing, Abigail said one day she’ll ride with me as a pillion ... even for 100 feet up the road and back. I promised to walk her down the aisle on her father’s behalf. I’d like Jamaica to continue to be a place where such dreams and knowledge-sharing experiences between generations remain possible. Teaching the next generation how to better manage risk. Am I a criminal for expressing myself this way through motorcycles?
Griselda Blanco was killed in Medellin, Colombia in 2012.Targeted by gunmen … on a motorcycle. Enough said. In 2022, an extensive research study (Martınez-Gonzalez, Weintraub, Bonilla-Mej, Pablo Mesa) was released that concluded that these ‘brilliant’ motorcyclist restrictions don’t actually work. Not even in Colombia.
Criminals change their tactics cheaply, using (stolen) cars, bikes, bicycles, or even barefoot. Running through gullies, sewage, and swamps. In seconds, criminals navigate around political gimmicks that took years to pick up steam. Jamaica’s 1989s so-called restriction on high-powered motorcycles was one such failure with massive adverse side effects. Fix it.
Accordingly, Jamaica must reject kneejerk “motorcycle restrictions” nonsense and focus on more robust technology-driven strategies to target criminals irrespective of their mode of transport.
How can anything less than this be a legitimate crime plan?