Heed Witter's call for Tivoli enquiry

THE EDITOR, Sir:

The Manatt enquiry seems to be having all sorts of problems. Some fail to submit statements, others refuse to testify and the general public couldn't care less. This should come as no surprise to anyone.

What is this all about?

The 'Dudus' drama was one of the first real traps set for this administration. And it worked. Everyone knew that the removal of Coke would have presented the prime minister with a massive challenge. This was no Dog Paw. And everyone who chooses to park the hypocrisy, even temporarily, and empathise will understand his need to explore the least disruptive way of dealing with this matter. Those who screamed at him daily and fabricated all sorts of stories were fully aware of the potential damage to Golding and his party.

This is why they screamed so loudly, and for so long. Nothing Mr Golding said would satisfy them. They would repeatedly open up the subject, claiming that they were trying to get closure. This was parroted by many among us who should know better.

We can all claim, in hindsight, that it could have been handled 'better'. Maybe. But I don't think this makes Bruce Golding the worst person in Jamaica.

much to learn

My real concern is a related matter. The public defender, Mr Earl Witter, has been crying out for an enquiry into the activities of the security forces in Tivoli and its environs in May. No one will respond. But there is a lot to be learned here - not just the May incursion, but, maybe, much of the myths and misinformation about this community would be explained.

Tivoli was created by Edward Seaga,a man whose accomplishments place him - like Ozymandias - as a colossus above his countrymen. Unable to best him in performance and vision, the minions among us who wanted to unseat him decided to demonise him and destroy him. Like those who followed the Pied Piper to their destruction, we fell in line. He loved Tivoli, so that became his Achilles heel, and the residents have never stopped paying that price.

The assault on this man was a success, and any good detective will tell you that if one commits a crime successfully, it is almost a certainty that one will try to repeat it. So it's Golding's turn.

tivoli residents not stupid

I cannot tell you that the security forces had this information. But the rest of the country knew that the Tivoli strongmen knew of the invasion at least 12 hours before it took place and put as much distance as possible between themselves and west Kingston. The barricades were placed at the entrances out of a fear born of the history of their experiences with the security forces. No one was going to fight the combined security forces of the country from Tivoli. The fact that we dislike and/or disrespect them does not mean that they are stupid.

It is significant, and very revealing, that Mr Witter's call continues to be ignored. There have been many bloody incursions into Tivoli by agents of the state. Each time, the story coming from those in charge strains credulity. Eyewitness accounts are ignored despite the fact that the physical evidence supports their claims.

Refusing to respond to Mr Witter's call for an enquiry is telling us volumes about ourselves and our contempt for each other.

I am, etc.,

GLENN TUCKER

glenntucker2011@gmail.com

Stony Hill

Refusing to respond to Mr Witter's call for an enquiry is telling us volumes about ourselves and our contempt for each other.