The Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) is alarmed at the wanton disregard for law and order that is becoming the norm in Jamaica. The recent dislocation of the lives of thousands of our citizens due to the disruption of the public transportation service as well as the resulting loss of productivity in the business sector should catalyze all Jamaicans to actively play their part in reversing this pervasive culture of lawlessness.
PSOJ President, Howard Mitchell, is reiterating his calls for a cohesive effort by civil society groups and the political directorate to arrest the disorder in society. “It cannot be business as usual. Repression and increased policing cannot be the only responses to this creeping decivilization of our country. We must find the will to put aside differences in political interest and collaborate to save our nation by strengthening our institutions and implementing social reforms before we descend into total anarchy. In this regard we support wholeheartedly the recent steps towards political bipartisan and civil society discussions on crime and violence and look forward to their progress. True economic sustainability will remain a pipe dream if we cannot address the social ills that are strangling our growth prospects.”
Mitchell added that the disruption has also exposed the deficiencies in our public transportation system and called for the development of a medium to long term policy to prevent a recurrence of the challenges faced recently.