The current political leaders of Jamaica continue to fiddle while the country burns. The recent so-called conscience vote on hanging was important but, alas, has very little to do with effective crime fighting or prevention.
We seem to have developed an insidious habit of proposing new laws to deal with emerging crises and problems. For sure, legislation is key to effective governance, but in so many areas of public life in Jamaica, even with the long list of antiquated laws that remain on the statute books, we have enough laws that, if vigorously prosecuted, could offer at least, partial relief to many of our urgent challenges.
Pressures of lawlessness
As the public cries out for a reprieve from the punishing pressures of lawlessness and organised criminality, we are talking about proposing US-RICO type laws and the six anti-crime bills which are now mired in legal and political wranglings. We are wasting time while the syndicated criminal enterprise sinks its teeth deeper into the jugular of our society and grows more bold with each passing day. We do not need a new law to significantly address the crime problem.
We already have the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) and its companion regulations, and the Terrorism Prevention Act (TPA). These local laws do provide for us a means to deal with extortion, loan sharking, tax evasion, money laundering, racketeering, organised crime and terrorism. The TPA clearly relates to high-order crimes akin to the assassination of state officials and wanton mayhem perpetuated on hapless communities. The TPA defines terrorism offences, terrorist activity and terrorist groups in a way that fits hand in glove with the criminality manifest in Jamaica today.
Effective prosecution
Where is the political and administrative will to effectively and aggressively prosecute the POCA and the TPA? Alas, a regular failing of our Parliament is the illogical habit of passing bills into law without also passing the enabling regulations and in the case of the TPA passed in 2005, we are still without regulations which virtually make it impossible to prosecute and convict persons for carrying out terrorist acts which are being unleashed on the populace.
We want answers? An inde-pendent task force of com-mitted and dedicated advocates, fearless prosecutors, impartial judges, skilled accountants and bankers, experienced government tax administrators and other allied experts will tell us how to legally and appropriately apply tax records, public filings with governmental agencies (e.g. new building permits, awarded contracts, amusement licences et al) to come up with a Jamaican risk - based approach to go after the backbone that supports crime and corruption. Follow the money and the trail of influence peddling. No new lessons need be unearthed; we already know them.
I am, etc.,
CHRISTOPHER PRYCE
christopherjmpryce@yahoo.com