Has slavery truly been abolished?

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I pose a pressing question: Has slavery truly been abolished? Today, I witnessed firsthand the contemptuous and indifferent manner in which Jamaican citizens are treated by the police, court clerks, and judges. While crime rates may be rising, this does not justify treating all Jamaicans as criminals. Even those accused of offences deserve respect and the rights of citizenship.

I write with a heavy heart, hoping that those in power understand the daily struggles of ordinary citizens. In April, an officer ticketed me, initially claiming one offence but recording a higher charge on the ticket – a clear instance of mistreatment and victimisation. Contesting the charge led to my first visit to Traffic Court, only to find the officer had provided conflicting dates, causing unnecessary rescheduling. Each subsequent visit, including (the latest), was met with the officer’s absence.

Madam Editor, I was appalled to learn from the court clerk that since my last court appearance, no action had been taken on my file. The warrant was not validated, the officer was not subpoenaed, and I was asked to plead again to charges I had already addressed. A request for an earlier date, due to a scheduling conflict, was met with disregard.

The clerk inquired of the judge whether she could ask me a question and was granted same. She proceeded to question me as to what colour of light did I see when I came to the traffic lights. I began explaining my situation but was abruptly silenced by the judge, who claimed that the clerk would have gotten her answer already. My attempt to justify my case was stifled, leaving me feeling oppressed by a system designed to exploit and dehumanise me.

The clerk suggested a plea bargain with a lower cost and fewer points removed from my licence. Seeking clarification, I realised they had predetermined the outcome. If I resisted, the matter would drag on; if I complied, I would “go free”. Ultimately, I lost three points on my licence and paid $8,000 after pleading guilty under coercion.

Is this what Jamaica, my homeland, has become? Are ordinary citizens destined to be oppressed by a system that figuratively rapes and sodomises us? Would my treatment have differed if I had a prominent name, like another man I saw in court? Despite my lifelong service to this country, my voice remains unheard by the authorities for whom I voted.

Has slavery truly been abolished? Why do I endure daily hardships for a government that allows its officials to treat citizens with such disdain but pulls taxes out to pay them to treat us in this nonchalant and unkind manner? Today’s experience leaves me grieving for many of us from lower and middle class Jamaica. It also allowed me to understand why many seek a “better life” elsewhere. I feel abused and hurt, and for the first time in my life, I wish I were not Jamaican.

DWIGHT D. DAWKINS

Classroom Educator