Police Informer

I have now been labelled “Police Informer”. Where I come from, that’s no compliment. It means you are marked for death.

I live in what I would describe as a “semi-volatile” area. The place I occupy is at the back or to the edge of this particular community and directly behind me is a “volatile” area. I hear the sounds of volatility – the gunshots, disgraceful family and territorial fracas – from time to time. I have learned to ignore them. There is really is no “neighbourhood” of such – the houses far between, with a few unfinished buildings, shacks and poor living conditions in the immediate environs. Some people are truly, like myself, residents – we are planted here in houses we call homes. Others come and go. I can’t keep track of everyone. The ‘regulars’ I talk with or at least greet. Others I ignore. I do not know them. They seem unfriendly, rude even.

In the recent past, there has been a ‘flare up’ in the area. It started – to my mind – with the murder of a pastor close to the end of 2005, just chains from my home. Then there was the hold-up of a taxi driver at my gate on the eve of New Years’ Eve 2005. As the hold-up men (I saw 2) chased the driver as he sped away, the taller of the two fired a shot at the car. This was done as he ran past my gate. I saw his figure clearly. Face – no. From then, it’s been mayhem. More hold-ups. Robberies, rapes and murders.

By early 2006, the so-called Leader of the gang, “Teacher” – my cousin, who also lived in this area – was charged for firearm and ammunition possession. The policeman who charged him was one I knew well and had worked closely with for years. My cousin was tried and convicted. A few months later, he and “members of his gang” were ‘executed’ in Montego Bay. And over the year that all this transpired, the criminal acts in the community continued.

In January 2007, I was told that I was targeted as someone who ‘pressured a youth’ in court (me, the Prosecutor). But someone sorted that out by explaining, they said, that that was my job; it was not personal. Frankly, I did not appreciate the manner in which this was communicated to me and saw it as a threat from the person who told me – he being the one to ‘explain’my role.

Over the Easter week-end of 2007, there were at least two incidents of taxi hold-ups at my gate (this could be seen as a crossroad where the taxis turn around). I was in my house when both incidents occurred and heard or saw narry a thing!

In my work, I cannot avoid the police. We interact. Having heard about the most recent hold-ups, I commented to a few officers that the area was just too “hot”. It’s not unusual for me to have conversations of the sort with them. My interaction with them continue through my work, both in court and at the cells where I meet clients in lock-up.

Now I hear I’m a police informer.

I don’t know if I should fear for my life, or just laugh my usual belly-bursting laugh. When ‘pea brains’ try to crack nuts, all sorts of things come forth. And when these same ‘pea brains’ hold a weapon, innocent lives are lost.

For years I have been trying to get it through to those I can, that when people are murdered in this my homeland of Jamaica, don’t look for a motive. It is seldom there and in some instances so flimsy it might as well be ignored.

See what I mean?

Mi Mad

I am really appalled and somewat nauseous by a video I received from my cousin today showing the beating of the cross-dresser in Falmouth last Saturday. Men with sticks, women with sticks. The words "Beat di blood klaat bwai", and as the woman beat him, the chant, "Yes, a 'oman fi beat him." And the mob continued. I can see the faces of the people. I can hear the words they shout. Somewhere in there a male voice says, "No, nuh do him dat; leff him." He ran the risk of being seen as an accomplice. But it was the one voice of decency in that mob. The young man was in blood on the street. WHO HAS BEEN CHARGED??? To date, I have not heard of any arrests. But that mob committed a crime - they wounded a defenceless young man. Where is the honour in that? I trust every police personnel in Trelawny sleeps well at night. A travesty in their parish and they rest easy. No sanctions by the police high command. Not an eyebrow raised.And as a colleague pointed out to me earlier this week, she is even more incensed that the media has photographs of the event for publication. How callous. We have adopted the US standards - photo for sale to the highest bidder, regardless of who or what it depicts. It is not about helping a victim, it's about making a buck from someone's misfortune.To set upon and beat, maim and kill a man who committed a crime is one thing (and very wrong too); but to set upon, beat and injure a man for dressing like a woman is downright criminal!!!!The gays all over the world now know about Jamaica and will use every power at their command to 'screw' us. (Memba seh wi depen' pon tourism fi survive!!!!!)I am ...human, woman, mother ... and definitely not homosexual.