More misery from Govt

THE EDITOR: Criminals are becoming ever more brazen in their attacks on citizens. Both the Prime Minister and National Security Minister Edmund Dillon, as if to deflect responsibility away from themselves, rhetorically question how they can prevent supposedly random acts of violence.

The Prime Minister himself admitted that even as guns are removed from the streets in ever increasing numbers, more of them continue to enter the country illegally. Obviously, the systems in place to prevent this are woefully ineffective and remain unchanged.

Not too long ago citizens would have been alarmed when anyone “in broad daylight,” as we say, would defiantly open fire on another person in full view of bystanders. Today, that type of shooting is the norm. People are being accosted as they ply their trade seeking to earn bread for their families. Citizens are not safe even in their homes. And we see and hear nothing from those responsible for setting in place the means to protect citizens – the first duty of the State.

Those who are responsible for this are allowing criminals to become ever more brazen in their attacks. Murderers easily get away with their savagery against other citizens. If such a person happens to be caught, that person knows that any potential witness will be too afraid to point them out for fear of reprisal; witnesses are systematically murdered, and the police cannot be trusted.

A recent police workforce audit was completed and nothing concrete has come from the exercise except a convenient platform from which to politicise the choice of a police commissioner. I have heard nothing suggested concerning improving systems of recruitment and training, retraining, and specialisation. Nothing has been said concerning the creation of a professional and psychometrically sound service. Rather the same old system continues.

We are blessed with 7,000 bodies in police uniforms who, like many of us, seem to work between 8 am to 4 pm – and largely within their respective stations. Young criminals know that through systemic ineptitude and political torpor, those arms of the State responsible for dealing with predatory attacks against citizens are ill-equipped, either intentionally or not, to deal with them.

Small acts of crime are ignored, and they have grown into unmanageable problems. Old talk from the Prison Service continues to be the order of the day. Prisoners now use mobile phones to arrange banquets in prison. No one is ever held accountable. Trite explanations and convoluted half-baked excuses are forever advanced, as it is always “someone else’s” responsibility.

When excuses are not being offered on behalf of the person who should be named as being responsible, then there are party loyalists who offer the most inane and puerile explanations rooted in pseudo-science and old talk. Official reports either never materialise or remain hidden. All of this facilitates the wheels of far more brazen violence to continue to turn.

Those in charge have chosen policy options that generate and exacerbate criminality. Their decisions create droves of destitute men who clutter our cities with nothing to do but make mischief. They loiter, making life impossible for others knowing no one will correct them.

This Government has gotten rid of litter wardens, traffic wardens, and field social workers. It has stopped food cards, reduced public assistance for pensioners, stopped assisting special schools, and curtailed school supplies. It has adamantly refused to pay for work done. In short, the policies it has chosen are designed to exacerbate hardship and suffering and breed criminals. To make it worse, it has removed community policing and stopped joint army-police patrols. Must we not expect our misery to worsen?

STEVE SMITH via e-mail