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Rewarding wrong behaviour?

Published:Thursday | August 22, 2019 | 12:15 AM

THE EDITOR, Sir:

I viewed the trailer for what appears to be the newest addition to the ever-growing car-racing movie chain. The trailer for ‘Fast and Reckless – Dunrobin Drift’. This new addition stars the up-and-coming star ‘Driver of Black Mercedes-Benz’ and the endangerment of many innocent lives, including a close call with a Toyota Noah bus. I must say, Hobbs and Shaw have nothing on this new star, and should probably take some lessons from him. In fact, they may need to take a seat in his class and learn how to escape criminal charges.

When a driver can choose to drive at a speed and in a manner which is dangerous to the public on the roads of Jamaica under the Road Traffic Act, that driver would be driving recklessly or dangerously. At no point is it stated in the act that the driver be invited to a meeting, given extensive media coverage, or allowed to give an apology and get off scot-free. Oh wait, the Road Traffic Act only applies to ‘Mr Probox’ and ‘Average Joe’. That’s right! Persons like Driver of Black Mercedes-Benz can simply be called to a meeting with various media personnel to have a chat with ACP Bishop Dr Gary Welsh because, in the words of ACP Welsh, “This is what you get when you’re a celebrity.”

MOCKERY OF LAW

Instead of a fine and conviction, which would be of more significance as a teachable moment than the mockery that took place, Driver of Black Mercedes-Benz was given a chance, as one was of the belief that people should be educated before they are held accountable. I would love to be directed to the section of the act that states “educate the offender and then hold them accountable”.

In the words of Oje Ken Ollivierre, “Come take a look inna Jamaica, injustice in di place nuh, if wha you see nuh really phase you, then you are the problem weh we face too.”

Dennéil Larmond