Michael Spence Speaks

Crime is behaviour attracting a fine or imprisonment. Mr Robert Fletcher (RIP) recently gunned down at his business place on Old Hope Road was rehabilitated evidenced by having no known outstanding criminal offence.The Firearms Licencing Authority is justified in granting Mr Fletcher requested gun licences for 2 handguns and a rifle none of which has so far been linked to crimes. As a society we must be careful, do we or, do we not subscribe to the universal principle of a person who has wronged society pays their debt by being punished is rehabilitated after which they should return to society having the same constitutional rights as any other citizen. Moreover, none of his crimes included agravating circumstances. Right here in Jamaica there are persons in the legal and other professions including top notch business persons who have committed crimes here and in other jurisdictions, perhaps even deported and even called to the Jamaican bar.The General Legal Council have punished lawyers. I have seen lawyers gone to prison paid their debt and are allowed to practice and have gun licences if they desire.We cannot have two different rules for the same citizens under similar or close circumstances.One let's say is a Lawyer or a politician and the other a no name young small time businessman trying to make a legal living but cut down in his prime by some scum of society. Why are persons in some quarters trying hard to make out this victim of murder as somehow a villain.People think again although we are crime drunk and severely affected by a crime and Covid-19 pandemic we should not mask our brains. Michael Spence Micspen2@hotmail.com