Another member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force has run afoul of the law. Constable John Doe (the police have withheld his name), attached to the Greater Portmore Police Station in St Catherine, is in police custody after one of his colleagues allegedly caught him smuggling contraband into the Greater Portmore police lock-up facility.

A colleague arrested the constable at the Station on Wednesday, March 29, 2023.
He’s facing charges of Breaches of the Dangerous Drugs Act and Unprofessional Conduct.

The police reported that at about 11 am March 29, 2023, the constable assigned to the lock-up was arrested by one of his colleagues after they found a bag with ganja in his possession.

According to the police, the bag also contained cigarettes, a small quantity of tobacco, a lighter, a cellular phone, a pack of playing cards, two packs of rolling paper, two dozen white tablets, and three razor blades.

About six weeks ago, the police caught a man who breached the Portmore lock-up perimeter fence with a bag containing items similar to those found in the constable’s bag.

Nigel Clarke’s Failure to Apologise Among Reasons Jamaicans Falling Out of Love with Politics – Munroe

Executive Director of National Integrity Action, NIA, Professor Trevor Munroe, says the refusal by Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke to apologize for his “Massa Mark” comment is part of the reason Jamaicans are falling out of love with politics.

Despite widespread criticism, Dr. Clarke declined to apologize, telling the House of Representatives on Tuesday that persons had attached a racial intent to his words that he did not mean.

But many Jamaicans think Nigel Clark is playing games. He knows when using language or phrases with racist connotations, intent does not matter. Because it’s not what you intended to say that’s counted, it’s what you said.

A famous phrase says, “The cover-up is worse than the crime.” That phrase rings true in this conundrum. Unfortunately, Nigel Clarke has talked himself into an unintellectual corner where nothing he says makes sense. For example, he tried to redefine the racist phrase by saying this:

“Today, “Massa” describes a perceived attitude of those with power in relation to others, not a color. It represents a perceived disposition, not a race. And it is an acceptable term of the Jamaican language that frequently appears, non-racially, in the written and spoken word.”

Finance Minister Nigel Clarke

He goes on to say:

“Similarly, a popular, modern Jamaican gospel song’s lyrics include the line: “Massa God ah God.” Are Jamaican Christians racist by using the word “massa” in this song?”

Finance Minister Nigel Clarke

So writing an epistle is a waste of time. All Mr. Clarke needed to say was, I am sorry I used that phrase.

Professor Munroe says there’s still time for the Finance Minister to do the right thing.