The Living not the Dead Must Cry for Justice

Montego Bay is hurting. No , let me be more specific, A poor family from one of the popular communities in Montego bay has lost a son, a brother, a father. You  see this young man left his house with the intention of having a good time with his friends, maybe have a bit of social drinking and fun and then return home. But who would have thought that when he left his home, it would have been his last. 

Let me digress  for a minute. Have you ever thought how  your last day on earth will manifest itself? Will it be sudden or horrific, long and painful? Will it be a happy ending? The Master knew best when he created Man. He made sure no Man, no matter how rich  or poor , no man can stop or prevent his last day on planet Earth? Even those that think they can cheat by telling God he quits,  have no control as his demise was also written in his final chapter.  Its one of the balancing acts of life. Death has no friends. It has no twitter account or Facebook page to notify you. Man can only live his life hoping that when his time is called he is ready and answerable to whomever his spirit meets on his journey. 

But the hardest death Man can never  understand  is the death caused  by another man, deliberately taken through anger, malice, greed, ignorance and avarice. This kind of death makes you question the Big Man. You have to ask is this the ending Father? Can you take this cup from me? Write me a better ending but not this.  Young Dean may have asked those questions  in his final moments and whilst he may have gotten a reply soul to father, the rest of us mortals will never know the answer given. It leaves us lowly beings to ask why? Why him, why now, Why Dean? 

Here is the plot: 

A young man is killed in the custody of the law for having a item similar to a cigarette. This ‘cigarette’ is made from a so called ‘illegal’ substance, determined illegal by  the same greed, malice and avarice of one race of men against another. Jamaica had no option but to bend low at the feet of that race and embrace the validity of this hypocritical illegal proclamation. It’s one of the disadvantages of being a former colony as well as being an island with no influence to the world other than being an island in the sun for the same race to  bask and smile at the friendly natives.

For years we have lived the Big LIE, bowing and accepting to Massa declaration. The irony of this drama we are witnessing is that Massa has  long decided that this lie cannot stand on its own legs anymore. Massa is changing the LAW. Jamaica being a good ole faithful servant is still struggling with Massa’s big move to legitimize marijuana. We are still debating, researching, understanding and enforcing the biggest social lie bestowed  on mankind. Jamaica has decided to continue to inflict the fullest extent of the law, until the Big Man himself tells us..

It  is ok, the weed I put on this earth is ok. I  never make a mistake.”

Scene 1.Man taken into custody for possession of a ganja spliff. ( Note, man is being LOCKED UP for  possession, not selling or even exporting , adding a petty offense to an already overcrowded jail system. Our penal system does not provide for petty offenses. Everyone is thrown in the cesspit harbouring all evils. ) 

Scene 2. Man was offered BAIL but it is alleged Man and his Surety was uncooperative with officers so Man was denied bail until the officer decides when bail will be granted. It is also reported that the attending police officer described as a female officer, decided to take on the role of judge,jury and executioner and not give the accused bail as it is alleged the officer was upset of what was said to or about her.  ( Note: A police offended by an accused words is like saying a doctor is upset blood spills on his nice white jacket during an emergency. It comes with the territory. Somehow this officer has not learned  that despite personal attacks she must exercise the accrued rights. Rights, that word that is often spoken but newer understood in Jamaica. Denying Mr Dean  of his personal rights is denying him of his humanity.)

Scene 3: Apparent struggle between Man and other inmates occurred. ( Note, no one, not the police on duty or around the cell heard any raucous noise from cell. How many officers were on duty? One, two, three?  The first duty of any officer  is to protect the accused in the cell. Anywhere, anytime,  any country that calls itself a democracy the choice is the same, democracy not tyranny, protection not dictatorship, the rule of law, not the rule of who is on duty Protect and Serve, protect and serve.

Scene 4, Montego Bay police said ‘prisoners called to their attention the Man alleged was hurt . Police subsequently took Man to hospital. Police reportedly told doctors Man fell from bunk.(Note Man had severe head injury as well as facial lacerations and his head was swollen disproportionately. We have 40 million reasons for failure, but not a single excuse. It is statements like this that make people declare..

I do not have a drug problem, neither do I have a personal problem . I have a police problem.

Scene 5. Police High Command denied police had anything to do with Man’s beating but assessed that Man was beaten by inmates. (Note: Command making statements  based on what their people tell them. We have no reports that  INDECOM, that puppy police corruption and PR agency created to obviously fool the people, had immediately taken over the police post at Barnett Street, removed and suspended all officers without pay until further investigation is carried out and placed all prisoners  in confinement for questioning ). 

Scene 6: Accused dies in hospital.This case is a public defender’s  dream and a prosecutors nightmare . Accused man dies in police custody? ( Note: Dreams of made of cases like these. No word from defender. All the words spoken are from esteemed Minister of Justice. I am shocked that this public defender is on the side of see no evil, speak no evil, apparently on the side of abstinence. 

Scene 7. Minister of Justice quote” saddened ” by Man’s death. Minister calls for swift action for passage of Bill to reform law on petty crime like possession of spliff. In the meantime, Golding says he Bunting, are in discussions with the Attorney General to see whether a policy direction can be implemented to prevent a repeat of the circumstances that led to Dean’s death. They want to see whether the law allows for the police to proceed by way of summons rather than by way of arrest and detention when someone is held with small quantities of ganja. ( Note: Mr Minister no sir, you get it wrong.. A man is dead in the custody of your officers under your direct responsibility. That takes precedence , not the impending law for repeal, not the Act that is to change. Mr Dean’s life is valuable Mr Minister just like your friends from St Andrew Hills and their sons life or your fellow police officers life. Your callous disregard and lack of urgency is disheartening.  No mention in your statement of investigation of the death,  or the questioning of inmates or  officers on duty. The people whom you serve need to know their Minister of Justice is on their side, that he is feeling their pain, that he understands the place where this Mom is grieving as her son is ripped from her life. Mr Minister you lack a basic human trait for your position, a heart. )

Scene 8. Bunting also said Deane’s death was quote “unnecessary”. Meanwhile, he has requested that the Acting Police Commissioner Glenmore Hinds immediately examine the arrangements for supervising detainees, to ensure their safety. ( Note: Mr Minister that is already established in the law. The protection of all prisoners is the direct responsibility of the Police. Why is the Minister ‘examining” anything? Mr Minister may I suggest you get up out of your air conditioned office and do some work for a change? Have you been to Montego Bay’s command as yet? Where is your daily statement on the development of finding the people that took Mr Deans life? The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. )

When you look at this bundling comedy of errors you cannot help but conclude:

1. Justice in Jamaica is for the rich, not the poor. If it was the son of a politician or a prominent person he would NOT have been locked up.  And if he was locked up he would have been grated bail with no personal decision taken by the misguided police officer.

2. Possession of a spliff is such a major offense in Jamaica that you are locked up with the worst of the worse, you are not separated and confined according to your crime. Why are we still locking up persons for possession of a spliff? We neither have the accommodation, resources, or man power to remand these petty crimes. We also know of the intention to change  the law so why not have a provision to  issue tickets, if you must,  to those accused for these minor offenses?  The answer to that question is that will be too simple. Police is here to intimidate, oppress and forcibly push the laws, unjust or not , down citizens throat.

3. Neither the Minister, High Command or the Police cares that this particular young man lost his life. Frankly the prediction is nothing will come of the investigations. Jamaica does not believe in accountability. It is something politicians stay away from. Accountability breeds responsibility. Politicians fear this like the plague.

All this happens when we are celebrating 52 years of independence, proving once again we are no further ready for independence  than we are ready to send a rocket to the moon. Haile Selassie said:

Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.

52 years and we still have not gotten that basic truth, that all men are born equal and have human rights that is to be protected by all means necessary. 

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