Quote Originally Posted by kim&betty View Post
Accompong, the following quote is from the same web page you sited above.

You also made the point
That is what I mean, LEGALLY carrying a gun would deter these mad youths who think they are shottas/rude boy's/bad men what have you, from continuing with impunity. They all have cell phones and know exactly where the police are when they choose their victims.
You have been going to Jamaica for almost 20 yrs longer than I have, I do respect your opinion. I also love Jamaica, and my friends are family to me, as yours are to you. Blessings to you and yours.
Thank you kim&betty for the Blessings and same back at you. Bless.

Comparing the United States with Jamaica is not a fair comparison due to the greater population and greater land area. A more fair comparison would be comparing Jamaica to Connecticut. They are roughly the same shape and size. Jamaica has (these are all rough figures) roughly 3.5 million people and Conn. has roughly 2.7 million. Using this as a basis for comparison, Conn. has around 150 murders a year and they don't have open carry laws. Yes, you can get a permit to carry and you can get one in Jamaica as well.

Yes your "shottas/rude boy's/bad men" have guns and most regular Jamaicans don't but more guns in circulation will cause an increase in murders. Yes, some will be those bad men but many more will be innocent Jamaicans. I was in Jamaica during the turbulent '80s when the CIA was bringing in guns inside refrigerators to arm the opposition to the Manley government. That is what happens when you turn guns loose on a passionate society.

The problems in Jamaica are more systemic and culturally based. Jamaican's revere the "bad man". Witness the nicknames of "Killa" etc. that abound or the movies like "Harder they Come" etc. When I first went to Jamaica, the TVs showed John Wayne movies and war movies and the nicknames followed like "John Wayne" or "Josie Wales" etc.

It is only in the past couple of elections that political murders didn't flare up around the island. Adding guns would only add more violence period.

I respect you and your opinion but you are just plain wrong with your assumption that arming Jamaicans will put this senseless violence in check. As I have said before, this is Jamaica and they do things in their own way. We don't have to like it but we (as visitors) don't have any right to interfere either. If you are scared of murders, don't go to Jamaica or to Chicago for that matter. You have a choice not like the people who live in Jamaica who can't go affaren.

Bless Up.