We Laud The Good Things But Will Not Be Silent On Crime

I love my coun­try, that is the rea­son I will not be silent on the gang infes­ta­tion and acts of crim­i­nal­i­ty that have tak­en over our country.
Jamaica, our beloved land of wood and water, is at a cross­roads. Once cel­e­brat­ed for its rich cul­ture, breath­tak­ing land­scapes, and vibrant peo­ple, it is now grap­pling with a dev­as­tat­ing surge in crime that threat­ens the very fab­ric of our soci­ety. As a proud Jamaican, I refuse to sit idly by and watch as fear and vio­lence engulf our com­mu­ni­ties. Silence in the face of such tur­moil is not an option, for it is in speak­ing out and tak­ing action that change begins.
Crime has seeped into every cor­ner of our soci­ety — rob­bing fam­i­lies of loved ones, dis­rupt­ing liveli­hoods, and sow­ing dis­trust among neigh­bors. Every act of vio­lence chips away at our col­lec­tive hope and steals oppor­tu­ni­ties from future gen­er­a­tions. This is not the Jamaica we dream of; this is not the lega­cy we wish to leave behind.

But I will not let despair win. My voice, your voice, and the voic­es of every con­cerned Jamaican must come togeth­er to demand bet­ter. We must hold our lead­ers account­able, advo­cate for stronger poli­cies, and push for invest­ments in edu­ca­tion, job cre­ation, and social pro­grams. Tackling crime requires address­ing its root caus­es — pover­ty, inequal­i­ty, and lack of opportunity.
Moreover, we, as cit­i­zens, must also play our part. Community uni­ty is our great­est weapon against crime. We must fos­ter a cul­ture of respect, rebuild trust, and stand togeth­er to pro­tect what is ours. Turning a blind eye to crim­i­nal activ­i­ty or accept­ing it as “just how things are” can­not con­tin­ue. Jamaica is more than its chal­lenges. We are resilient, inno­v­a­tive, and deeply con­nect­ed by our shared iden­ti­ty. The road ahead will not be easy, but I believe in our abil­i­ty to reclaim our coun­try from the grip of crime. I will not be silent, for silence is com­plic­i­ty. I will speak out, act bold­ly, and fight for a Jamaica that is safe, just, and pros­per­ous — for all of us.

The time to stand up is now. Let us not wait until it’s too late.