True to their pledge to save lives, staff and managers of Kingston Public Hospital in downtown Kingston are justifiably happy after keeping gunshot victims alive during October.
But here is the rub: There were a staggering 104 people entering the hospital seeking treatment for gunshot wounds during October.
That reflects the horrendous crisis of crime which this country faces and the devastatingly high associated costs.
Trauma, grief and long-lasting, many-sided, psychological effects apart, crime is said to be costing Jamaicans five per cent of gross domestic product or more than $60 billion annually.
National Security Minister Robert Montague tells us that it is costing as much $400,000 daily to keep a single gunshot victim in intensive care.
No matter which angle you are looking from, it makes sense to confront the crime monster and win.
Logic and good sense dictate that the approach must be multidimensional with increased attention to meeting the social and welfare needs of downtrodden communities. Hence the strong social component of the zones of special operation initiative — one obvious aim being to convince young people that their country offers hope to such an extent that they need not resort to criminal and antisocial behaviour.
Leave A Comment