Dear Editor,
I strongly believe that no member of Parliament should in any form or fashion assume the position of a defending lawyer against anyone who is trying their endeavor to curb and combat crime in a country. In this day and age of drastic rise of crime in which several people were gunned down, members of Parliament should, like I wrote in the past, should grow up, demonstrate maturity and unite with whoever is responsible for making sure that law and order is upheld and maintained in the country.
When I read Irion’s and Doran’s questions to the Minister of Justice, I asked myself on whose side are they? Whether they were on the side of law enforcement or the “gotcha” side?
One of the reasons that I am reacting to this is because it was during the time that I supervised the Control Unit that the then-Commissioner, Michael Ferrier, introduced the law governing tinted glass of motor vehicles. I must say that it was very well controlled.
I am not aware why the Control Unit is not functioning, but it goes without saying that they are needed out there.
During the last budget meetings MP [Member of Parliament – Ed.] Irion again did not think if it was the opportune time to react to the Minister of Justice. A few days before that he took a few shots at the VROMI [Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure] Minister to which I reacted hypothetically: If you tell me that you do not agree, to use the colour yellow. But I know that in the past your friend used yellow. And now you turn around and tell me that I should have used the colour that your friend used, is that not contradicting yourself?
My father used to tell us to try to pick sense out of nonsense, that is what I always try to do because everybody have their way of looking at things. But when you choose to be a representative of the people that is what you are expected to be and to do and not to go in there and take shots at one another. In this case, questioning or challenging the Minister of Justice concerning the tinted glass, knowing fully well that their intention was to score points, completely disregarding the safety of the people.
Here again another Minister of government is, rightfully so, advocatong to enforce the law and MPs Irion and Doran are trying a thing and in the process, especially during these last months, making themselves look small.
A simple question. Would it be easier to find a suspect in a car with black tinted glass or normal tinted glass? Do we know what all does be taking place in cars with black tinted glass?
Precisely in a time when combating crime should have priority, members of Parliament are being petty. Who are they representing, themselves or the people who elected them to do so?
This is not the time to take trick to make luck. This is the time to join forces to combat crime and bring it back to a minimum.
I appreciated the energy of Miss Richardson, but as long as Minister of Justice Tackling is showing the will to combat crime I am one hundred percent behind her. I believe that if one is in a position where country comes before self, then that is what it should be.
Russell A. Simmons
