I am amazed at the stupidity of the lines of questioning which surround the possibility of the police having ignited the fire with a tear-gas canister. Why has no one yet asked the simple question: Did the fire investigators find the burnt casing of the tear-gas canister in the burnt-out building? Did the fire investigators in fact make a thorough examination of the burnt-out building? If not, why not?

If the answer is yes to the presence of a burnt-out tear-gas canister, then who would have had prior possession of said canister? Also, was the release pin still in place (that is, was the tear gas not intentionally discharged)? This, to ascertain if ignition of the gas generator that pushes out the tear gas was caused by the fuse or the fire. Next, when such canisters of tear gas are issued, are the serial numbers recorded against the name of the recipient policeman? If not, why not?

The release pin

Normally, a tear-gas canister has the release pin pulled to start the delay fuse. If there was no delay fuse, the thing would go off in the person's hand, which would be a really dumb thing. It would be really dumb to toss a tear-gas canister without the release pin pulled, since the person or persons at the receiving end would not look the gift horse in the mouth, and pull the pin and send it back. Even when the gas generator is burning and pushing out the tear gas, (it's really a very fine powder by the way) it is possible for a smart person to grab the canister with a wet or even dry cloth to protect himself from the heat and toss it back. As we have seen innumerable times on TV.

If the answer is that no canister was found in the burnt-out building, why can't the police simply account for its whereabouts. Indeed, where is it?

This is a question that must be asked, and the answer MUST be received.

I am, etc.,

HOWARD CHIN

Member Jamaica

Institution of Engineers

hmc14@cwjamaica.com