Its Christmas time again and there is trouble in the market place. Stalls are being destroyed and people are frantically trying to rescue zinc and board as Caesar's men follow orders to clear the streets. For the person who may be sojourning to Jamaica for the first time this may seem shocking and very disturbing but for Jamaicans who live on the rock this is an annual ritual that we all have to endure. But do we really have to endure it?
I am for law and order but it puzzles me why the security forces have to wait for twenty stalls to be erected before they take action? Isn't it easier and more prudent to prevent one stall from going up than to try to take down twenty? Is it the drama that we relish?
I am tired of this ritual. I encourage the police to be more vigilant in preventing persons from engaging in these illegal activities and I encourage the authorities to be more caring and make every effort to make those who trade to be as comfortable as possible.
1 comment:
As you correctly note, this stall removal ritual is really a degradation ceremony that is part and parcel of the christmas holidays. We the people must be reminded continuously about who's really in charge, and who run tings. But their leadership does not extend beyond this type of corporal punishment. For example, knowing that many more people are going to be hustling for the holidays, wouldn't it make sense to put out a series of notices discouraging the random stalls, designating areas for"grand market", and having people police the sidewalks regularly to prevent the stalls from being erected in places where they pose a traffic hazard? Why me mus' ack so chupid all di time? Lawks! Why can't we have policymakers and managers that stop, think and plan appropriately?
Post a Comment