EDITORIAL

Standing firm for advocacy

Thursday,  September 8, 2005

Since Cayman Net News’ Tuesday 6 September edition hit the newsstands, the office phones have been ringing none stop to congratulate the news team for publishing a story which many people in the community feel has been sorely neglected.

“Seized drugs sold back on streets” addressed reports from a number of people in the community who believe that drugs taken by police officers during raids or arrests are reportedly finding their way back for sale in our neighbourhoods and communities.

We are fully aware that this was a sensitive report. However, Cayman Net News has never been afraid to raise sensitive and controversial issues that concern the people of these Islands, nor will veiled threats from any of the authorities ever prevent us from doing so.

Just because some issues may be controversial does not mean that news organisations should ignore them.

In fact those are the very topics that news organisations should investigate and report on, as more often than not, those in authority in so many instances cast a blind eye and ignore them.

Sweeping unpleasant things under the carpet does not make them go away and judging by the feed-back that Cayman Net News received in the wake of this recent report, it appears that many of our readers believe that the authorities are indeed trying to sweep accusations of drugs returning to the streets after being in police hands, under a very big mat.

So that we are clear, it must be known that this publication does not hold the position that the entire Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, (RCIPS) is overrun with officers who are dishonest, but it is evident that a number of people within our community believe that there are some officers who are not responsible to their oath and the matter should be at the very least investigated.

During most of the recent police community meetings, the matter of drug dealing was raised time and time again.

Drugs many residents believe are the fundamental problem within their communities regarding rising crime. Most crimes are, they say, committed as a result of this illegal trade. Whether is it is a user stealing to fund their habit or dealers fighting over territory, residents have a right to be concerned.

On many occasions in the past this newspaper has published reports based on issues and problems that many people in high places would have preferred we had not printed.

From revelations about previous government misconduct to the shambles of the Health Service Authority’s Finances, we have taken the knocks, thankfully, more often that not we are proved right.

On this occasion we hope that the RCIPS will use the report as a spur to undertake some thorough investigations throughout the service. Drugs are the scourge of any community and if the authorities are to stand any hope at all of undermining this illegal and illicit trade they must be seen to be beyond reproach.

As we have said on numerous occasions in the past, ignoring unpleasantness will not make it go away. As a community we must demand that our security forces investigate these allegations and do so in a manner that is open and transparent.

Cayman Net News will not cease to speak about these issues regardless of threats veiled or otherwise and when the community speaks to us we will speak for them.

This time, we ask the RCIPS leadership to take this matter in hand and instead of shooting the messenger, take aim at the real perpetrators. 

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