How many more must die, Mr PM?

THE EDITOR: How can one explain the wanton violence and total lack of respect for human life that is being displayed by the criminal elements towards the innocent citizens in our country.

We have lost our way as a nation, the Government, Opposition, women's groups, business associations, the family unit, with special emphasis on the fathers, have to shoulder most of the blame. They should be all working in tandem but no one wants to bell the cat.

Unfortunately, we have reach the point where our law-abiding citizens are living in fear and have no faith in the country's security personnel. Too often we read about bullet casings or uniforms discovered at crime scenes having the markings of the police or army.

I wonder if this is one of the reasons why so many of our law-abiding citizens have this sudden urge to apply for firearm user's licences. Who is going to guard the guards. Due to recent reports, I certainly hope it is not the Strategic Services Agency (SSA).

As our country heads deeper and deeper into this abyss of violent self-destruction, the walls are closing in on us, and if the above mentioned do not take some drastic action to control, destroy and rectify this problem, I ask Prime Minister Rowley, borrowing from the late Mighty Duke's song, ''How many more must die" before Trinidad gets back to its past glory?

And please, the country does not want to hear the ridiculous statement that there is crime in all countries. This is just a cop-out that the fanatics use to justify the incompetence of those responsible.

ERNEST BOUCAUD

St Ann's