LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Destroying drugs sooner

Monday,  September 19, 2005

Dear Sir,

Please allow me to comment on the article which appeared in your newspaper alleging that drugs seized by our Police, end up back on the streets for sale, also to comment on other matters of concern to me.

Firstly, when drugs are destroyed by the Police in the presence of a Justice of the Peace, why doesn’t the media have the opportunity to be present during the destruction, so that the public can be made aware of the process? 

If the destruction were done publicly in a matter of days after the seizure, the public would have little cause to speculate as to what happens to the drugs after they are seized. There is definitely a lack of transparency there, and it must be stopped. Our Government needs to pass a law that all drugs seized by the R.C. I. P. must be destroyed (in public view) within a mater of days afterward.

After all, once drugs are seized, all that is needed, is a sample of it, to be taken to court for evidence. Therefore, there is no need to, stock pile the drugs, to raise questions in the public’s mind, and be a temptation to weak officers, after all, they are only human.

Secondly, in every District, the public knows who the drug dealers are.

They never “strike a lick” to earn an honest dollar, yet, they own apartment blocks, drive expensive cars, and be up and down all day, “dressed up” like Bank Managers. 

Now, if the public knows who those dealers are, why doesn’t our R. C. I. P. S know them?? 

Are the latter on a payroll to “cast a blind eye”, or what?? That is what the public is led to believe. One never hears about those “King Pins” being searched/arrested by the Police, so something is definitely wrong.

Thirdly, two years ago a young father was murdered. Up until this very minute, (in a small Island like this) no one has been charged for his murder. 

Shortly before he was murdered, he told a close relative of his, that a Police Officer had allegedly tried to “run him down” on his bicycle, causing him to fall, and get his arms “skinned” up. 

He believed the police had allegedly tried to kill him, because he had found a hidden quantity of drugs belonging to a Police Officer and he (the young man) had sold it.

He said that he was fearing for his life, but could not give the name of the Police Officer. Within weeks, the young man was murdered – execution style. 

Was this a “paid off” job, and the murderer cannot talk?? The public is left to speculate, again.

The person who gave “Net News” the report about the seized drugs ending up on the streets for sale, knows what they are talking about. 

Since they are a recovering drug user, they know who the drug dealers are, and also where the market is, and who the importers are.

So, much credence has to be given to that report. In my opinion, instead of our able Acting Commissioner referring the article to the Legal Department, he should give the public the assurance that in the future, all drugs seized by the Police, will be destroyed in a matter of days afterwards, in public view. 

This procedure, as I have said before, will give the public little cause to speculate.

On another note, rape/indecent assault is too rampant on our little Island. It is just as common as burglary is.

Something has to be done now to stop this rage. The offenders (“sick” men or teenagers) are let off too easy by the courts. They can always claim that it was consensual sex, or that they were led to believe that the complainant was an older person. 

If this were the case, it is hard for me to believe that the victim would report the matter. After all, it is a known fact, that rape is the least reported matter to the police. 

Harsher legislation has to be made, whereby convicted rapists serve a minimum sentence of 15 years, without parole. With no more probationary, house arrest, or community service sentences being an option.

This may cause rapists to “think twice” before attacking women. With the multitude of good, available women on this Island, there is no need for men to go around raping women. Remember, ladies are looking for gentlemen, simple as that, and gentlemen do not rape women.

Finally, much praise is due to Magistrate Ramsay Hale for a job well done when dealing with a case. I like how she tells it like it is, even though she may appear to be “feisty” at times, (that is just my opinion). 

However, there is one particular female Magistrate who does not seem to know how to pay credence to “circumstantial evidence,” according to the many good cases she has thrown out of court. 

That is why the criminals always opt to be sentenced by her, rather than by a jury. I am not the only person who has that opinion about her, the public does also. A law needs to be passed that criminal cases can only be sentenced by a Jury, like it is done in other countries in this region.

Thank you for the space in your most informative newspaper, Mr. Editor.

Curlina Ebanks

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