Extradite gun smugglers

THE EDITOR, Madam:

Canada and the United States share the longest undefended international border in the world. The high homicide rate that exists in Jamaica is often, in part, blamed on the ready supply of guns available in the United States, which can be easily bought and illegally exported to Jamaica. Yet, with an 8,000-kilometre land border with the United States, Canada does not have anywhere near the homicide rate Jamaica has. So the availability of guns in the US can’t be a valid reason for our homicide problem. Part of the problem is possibly those Jamaican immigrants in the United States who are willing to buy and send guns to the island.

I vividly recall the iconic front-page photographs of FBI agents on the tarmac of the Norman Manley International Airport, escorting extradited lotto scammers back to the United States to be tried in their courts.. With all the large gun finds at our ports of entry over the years, I am yet to see Jamaica Constabulary Force personnel escorting extradited gun smugglers back to Jamaica for trial.

I understand that the international agreements we have regarding extraditions have reciprocity built into them. Why haven’t we utilised these provisions?

With President-elect Trump’s intent on sending home immigrants that break the law, there is likely to be an avenue to engage the new administration on this issue, to our national security benefit.

It seems to me that the time is right for a task force dedicated to getting those that smuggle guns from the US into Jamaica extradited here, to stand trial for their crimes. Over to you prime minister.

ALWYN GREGORY

Manchester