Reconstruct Tivoli
Published:Monday | May 31, 2010 | 12:00 AM
THE EDITOR, Sir:
Reporting the realities is a challenging task and necessary for planning that will lead to systematic reconstruction of the ruinous realities. Thank God for a free and forceful public media. However, for effective building on that good work, from my perspective, what is urgently needed is creative thinking and constructive action.
The principle ought to prevail that if a situation is radically bad, then only radical solutions make sense. In Jamaica at this time, all sane persons would agree that social realities are radically bad.
Logically then, the realistic response to such realities call for policies and plans that will involve radical thinking and radical structural social changes to reverse the current riotous and ruinous downward direction of things.
The focused geographic area of distress is Tivoli Gardens, conveniently identified in the western section of the capital's extended region.
Therefore, to be relevant in response, and so radical in proposal, what seems highly necessary is to 'attack' Tivoli by moving out all residents and placing them temporarily at Up Park Camp in tents, for a minimum period of two years until a return under different conditions may be ensured.
Security screening
The process would involve security screening for needed identification, and so a voter registration card, or a driver's license or a passport would suffice instantly.
For children in school, principals would be required to issue an ID card and for others, an employment ID - both of which the Government may provide for signature support.
Otherwise, security forces' temporary IDs would be necessary, requiring fingerprint and photo.
During the two years of Up Park Camp occupation, the entire Tivoli area would be rebuilt and citizens permitted to return after a minimum of two years detention, for rehabilitation, based on their productive and peaceful rehabilitative performance.
During those two years at Camp Recovery, all youth between 15-20 years would be inducted involunta-rily into a productive workforce and all unemployed persons 21-28 years into a National Service. Literacy training would be compulsory.
The financing of the venture would be put as a challenge to international aid organisations.
I am, etc.,
BILLY HALL