Serious crimes must attract serious punishment... so says Prime Minister Bruce Golding. And in keeping with his word, yesterday in Parliament he outlined new anti-crime measures to be enforced in this nation. The human rights groups are already have a field day playing Opposition to most of these new laws. And well, what to do? If the PM does nothing, he gets flack, and when he finally does something, he still comes under attack. Ah boy, how true it is that you can please some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time... See the proposed changes for yourself and make up your own mind:

1.Minimum 10 years for gun crimes
2.Criminal suspects can be detained for 72 hours
3.Denial of bail for serious crimes for up to 60 days
4.Majority of nine jurors of 12 can decide on non-capital murder
5.Police to get access to restricted information
6.Use of DNA evidence
7.Testimony from secure and remote locations

Now I do understand that Jamaica's crime has spiralled out of control (900 murders since the start of this year is no cause for celebration), but we need to do things in moderation. I need details for these new measures, because some of them may give way to the abuse of human rights. For example, police get access to restricted information... what restricted information are we talking about and how much access exactly? Use of DNA evidence always leaves room for misuse of DNA information as well, and getting testimonies from persons in 'secure' and 'remote' locations may become problematic... I won't be the unreasonable pessimist on this one, but I do advise due diligence. In any event, it can't hurt to question these things... if only to prove how sound and absolutely feasible they are.

PS I sincerely hope they keep this whole serious crime/serious punishment thing in mind if and when they find the sand-stealing culprits who did this to that beautiful 64-acre beachfront that was supposed to be used for villas (complete with spas, amphitheatres and the likes)... Can you imagine? 500 truckloads and nobody saw anything? No wonder the government and all those investors are livid!! I hope they keep their promise and really follow this up to the full extent of the (new) law when they find the culprits, especially if it turns out to be one of those 'higher-ups heads'! It's all so bizarre, though. Like one of my friends said, something fishy, and is not the sea either! Can't wait for this mystery to unravel...