Punishment was meant to instil a sense of responsibility for our actions and a respect for the rights of others. One could easily avoid punishment by simply doing the right thing. Whether the punishment is corporal punishment, capital punishment or detention after classes, the principle is the same. One always has a choice.

Given all that, it is just incredible that after some people choose to break the law that the rest of us are expected to abide by, others seek to pervert the course of justice on moral grounds. On the other hand, those same people are quite prepared to abide by the law when it suits them.

The sanctity of life

What is even more curious is that the perpetrators will take a number of lives in the most brutal manner and very little is heard from these moralists, but when the culprits are called on to pay for their actions, according to law (not according to some bloodthirsty vigilance), there is weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth about the sanctity of life.

What is very clear is that the culprits are having a field day because they realise that we cannot even agree on what is to be done and, as we continue to vacillate, we are creating the opportunity for the bloodthirsty vigilantes among us to take the law into their own hands. Then, more innocent lives are likely to be lost.

We need to stop arguing now and get our act together because there is too much at stake. We need to focus on the alarmingly high murder total, but we must not lose sight of the collateral damage caused by crime and violence.

The many people reported missing and never found, the many injured, disfigured and maimed. The many children who have been orphaned or otherwise traumatised - many of whom have had their very childhood taken from them. These are the citizens of the future that we are destroying today.

Then, there is the senseless waste of scarce resources that could be better used in health and education and to improve the quality of life for all. The negative effect of tourism and all other forms of economic activity and last, but by no means least, is the nasty reputation we have earned, that of being the murder capital of the world.

We can do without that. When you add it all up, you realise that we cannot afford to fool around with this problem anymore. That is exactly what has brought us to this untenable situation.

I am, etc.,

VICTOR E. NUGENT

PO Box 296

St Ann's Bay

St Ann