Editorial – November 30, 2012
When studying where Montserrat falls in the scope of citizen security and human development, we find it falls in the category where the issue of public confidence in the island’s capacity to protect citizens and ensure justice.
In that context, citizens lack a certain degree of confidence in the police, the judiciary to some extent and other public authorities. The base of this position is a fairly simple one, yet there can be some complexity. Simple, in that there is a refusal to look at the mental, spiritual, social, economic loss and eventual starvation, resulting in the overall developmental constipation that exists.
When we read the ECCB report over the recent years one would find that Montserrat has shown growth, but if the thought stops there, we would not realise that the question as to whether we have developed will most likely get a negative response. That, one will suddenly say depends on what is considered. We have said before, anything that does not measure up and surpasses what was known and expected prior to June, 1995 cannot be considered as development. And, it should never be argued that there are only 5,000 people in Montserrat.
The complexity of citizen security in Montserrat is the lack of desire, and maybe the will, to look at the problem which is not considered at all when the popular talk of priorities arises. It really comes down to human development in all its spheres. Here we will find that it forms the basis for the security that people need.
We will find for the benefit for all that the Caribbean Human Development Report (2012) CHDR puts the discussion in plain perspective. Human development also encompasses policies of economic growth and productivity, social development, enhancement of democratic governance and respect for the rule of law, as well as sustainable environmental development. Unemployment and underemployment, constraints to political participation, marginality, and unequal distribution of wealth and income, are directly and indirectly linked to problems of security.
What this suggests therefore, citizen security policies need participation of the various actors: ministries like finance, labour and education; the public service; (Government) the private sector; civil society organizations, like non-governmental and community organizations, and the media.
The Report explains that human development is a process of enhancing human capabilities while protecting rights and freedoms; expanding choices and opportunities so that each person can lead a life of respect and value.
Note well, it puts the people at the centre of development, regards economic growth as a means not an end, and addresses intragenerational and intergenerational equity, enabling present and future generations to make the best use of their capabilities and to realise their potential.
Serious and unselfish reasoning will readily recognise the severe shortcomings of the way the island is trying to move forward.
Security efforts are more effective when the rights of the people are respected and the people are involved as active agents and co-producers of their own security. Prime in this and one of the major shortcomings is that right to information, how it is disseminated and how it is received.
However, a sense of belonging, participating in political and community life, being respected by others, having ones rights respected also matters, and in the case of young people in particular, perhaps even more.
One would realise here also, that while the particular report was prepared on the back of high and low crime and violence statistics of some countries in the region, which are shown to be quite representative, it certainly shows that as long as Security for all is considered many of the problems can be tackled to provided sustainable existence and prosperity.
