I've given the Opposition's stance on the SoE some serious thought. They are right. While they fully understood and supported the Government's plan at the start, their current move to question the legality of suspending the rights of people indefinitely is the right one.
Some people who live in a SoE may very well be befitting from it, but a great many others aren't. The current administration knows that improvements have to be made, and the Opposition knows how hard those are considering that they never did it over the decades.
While Holness's Administration has made great strides in many areas, economic activity, Government communication etc. Similar strides need to be made in handling crime, and the same verve and pizzazz that was brought to those efforts need to be brought to the fight against crime.
Yes, it's a political play by the Opposition, but that's what you expect from a political party. You cant ask a tiger to change its stripes. The strategy is good, because it's the truth. Yes lives will be lost, but the Opposition wasnt voted in, the Gov was. It's their job.
At it's core (and the issue that mattered to me) is the fundamental rights of a Jamaican Citizen. We don't have that many rights, and giving away your rights (even on a "semi permanent" basis) is never a good thing and hard AF to come back from.
The onus is on the Government to meet the people as they have with other issues. Dont fall back into the cass cass of whether a Crime Plan was done previously. Do another. Prep it like you prep the videos of the roads being built. Put it out to the people, & the Opposition.
You have 6 weeks. We get to have Christmas, you dont. So it go, if you wanted an easy life you shouldn't have picked Government. Use the 6 weeks to put together a plan and broadcast it to the nation. Show how SoE's etc fit in and give dates and requirements. Do your job...well.
I understand that certain sensitive matters may not work well if aired, find a way to have those sensitive matters executed as best as possible. But I cant in good faith agree to the abrogation of my rights without an end date. That's a mandatory. Include that in the plans.
Yes it's rough, yes it's blood politics, yes it's heartless, but it's also the right thing. Someone in detention for 3wks with no sure date of being able to leave has the same rights I do. Respect them, and work within the confines of those rights. You have 6 weeks. Best of luck.
